Immortal Soulmates 1 - Meant to Be
by believer76
Summary: David Rossi is Immortal and grew up knowing that he had three mates. While He and Emily grew up together and always knew they were meant to be, will he and Emily manage to find the other two? Nothing is ever easy however, nor is it meant to be.
1. Chapter 1

Immortal Soulmates: Meant to Be

Part 1

"Well, here we are at last," Emily Prentiss said to her male companion looking around the hotel room, which was very nicely appointed, but then why should either her or her mate live in squalor?

"Yes, here we are," David Rossi said quietly amused.

"You might be amused, David Rossi, but it took us a lot of time to find our second mate or at least where she lives," Emily told him in a no nonsense tone, but since Dave was well used to it he only looked at her his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Yes, it was a lot of work, but we found her or at least the city she lives in and so the rest should be easy," Dave said calmly.

His mate Emily was a fireball and he loved that about her. An Alpha female definitely with her own opinions. Of the pair, he was much calmer, but he did have a temper and was definitely an alpha male when it was required, but he preferred to be easy and relaxed unless situation called for it. Oh, he could be intense just like Emily was on a normal basis, but he just preferred not to be, even if he was aware that he exuded confidence and power

"I doubt it will be easy," Emily snorted sardonically. "You know how big Chula Vista is."

"Think positive," Dave suggested, the amusement clear in his tone. "We could be searching some place much larger like New York for example, which has a much larger population than a small place like Chula Vista California."

"I think you need to be realistic," Emily shot back. "We don't even know her surname and do you know how many Jennifers there likely are in a city with a population of over 260,000?"

"Probably several hundred at least," Dave said.

"More likely a couple of thousand as Jennifer is a really popular name for the little girls," Emily snorted.

"It might take time," Dave acknowledged, "but we're not leaving here until we find her."

"Yes, believe me, I am aware," Emily said a little more softly, in a calmer tone. "I just don't want you to believe that this is going be easy. If she's not listed in the phone book it will be harder yet."

"I know it's going to be difficult at best," Dave told her. "I was just trying to think positively. Believe me, I know there's no guarantees that even when we find she'll agree to join us. If she doesn't want to we can't force the issue, as I doubt very much that she'll respond to that sort of thing very well and will likely get us in trouble with local law enforcement."

"The bond we have won't be complete without her," Emily said softly, looking sad at the thought.

"No, it won't," Dave agreed, "but if she tells us to never darken her doorway again then we will do so."

"It's too bad that Rosella couldn't tell us anymore," Emily said. "It would have been so much easier with more information."

"Ilithyia never makes things easy for us, sweetheart," Dave said tenderly, taking his mate into his arms, kissing the side of her neck. "You know how she works and you would realize that it won't be as hard, as it seems if you weren't so frustrated. I know we have been to a lot of cities here in the US and have been frustrated every time when we failed to find Jennifer. Rosella is sure though that Jennifer is here in Chula Vista. Remember what she said?"

"That her vision was clearer this time," Emily recited. "That she saw the sign that you pass before you enter the city and was sure that our second mate's here."

"Exactly," Dave said, as he continued kissing the side of Emily's neck, causing her to groan as her lust begin to rise. "I know we've been searching for this Jennifer for the last 15 years or so, but I truly believe that Rosella's vision became clear now, because now is the proper time for us to find her. I think we were prevented from finding her before now because she wasn't ready."

"Well, yes, she could've been involved in a relationship," Emily admitted.

"She could've been too young until fairly recently," Dave added. "Both of us look around 30, even though we're much older. For all we know she only just turned 30 or is a little younger than that."

"You think that she's going to be around our age, either exactly 30 or a little younger," Emily realized. "You don't think she'll be older, except by a few months perhaps."

"That's exactly what I'm saying and don't ask me why I have this feeling, because I don't know, just that I do," Dave said. "We both look 30 even though we're around 600 or so."

"Yeah, and it's hard to believe that we have to have one more mate out there after we find Jennifer," Emily sighed, but the sound was more contented this time, as she snuggled into Dave's arms.

"Believe me, I understand frustration," Dave said. "I've been frustrated as well, I promise you. It's been hard waiting all the centuries to find our second mate, but you know that any deity isn't going to make anything easy or it wouldn't be worth it in the end. If we hadn't asked every Immortal seer and soothsayer we ran across for visions, who knows if we ever would have found out where Jennifer was living. We've made enormous progress in finding Jennifer just in the last few months and I have a good feeling that we are close. I believe we can narrow the search somewhat."

"How?" Emily asked curiously.

"I say we look for Jennifers between 25 and 30, as I really don't believe she'll be older than 30 or younger than 25."

"Well, yes, that probably will narrow our search considerably," Emily considered.

"We'll probably be down to just a few hundred names," Dave said. "It will still be considerably difficult, just not as much."

"Let's get started then," Emily said eagerly.

"As anxious as I am, I think we need to relax, have a meal, perhaps get some sleep," Dave said. "We won't do anyone any good, if we don't take care of ourselves and we're both pretty tired from the journey."

Dave did have a point, Emily admitted to herself. It would not hurt to have a meal, perhaps discuss strategy before getting some sleep. The train journey had been long, but since they'd had a private compartment it hadn't really been too bad considering. Yes, they could have flown, as this was the 22nd Century after all, but they enjoyed taking the train and seeing some of the country along the way. When you flew all the time you missed so much scenery. The two of them still flew quite a lot, but sometimes they enjoyed the long trip by train or even ship.

"Alright," Emily agreed without argument, mostly because she knew Dave was right.

"Good, I'm glad you're not going to argue with me," Dave said, kissing Emily's nose.

"That's no point when you're right," Emily shrugged nonchalantly. "Yes, we were quite comfortable in our private compartment on the train, but still, it was a long journey and we've been under a lot of stress worrying if we'd find this Jennifer. As much as I really want to find her and I know you do as well we do need periods of relaxation."

"Well, good we'll find a decent restaurant for a meal, then come back here and perhaps take a bath together, since we are kind of sweaty and then after that we can get some sleep and start looking in the morning," Dave said.

"I think we need to discuss strategy, before we get that sleep but everything else sounds fine," Emily said.

"Yes, you're right," Dave agreed. "So just let me look up restaurants in the phone book or perhaps, reception can suggest somewhere and then we can get going."

Emily smiled at this and kissed Dave softly causing him to grin at her, before calling the front desk to ask about close by restaurants.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Well, I was wrong there's only about 60," Emily said, once she had finished searching the white pages on the Internet, as that was just easier than reading the entire residential section of the phonebook. "That's still a lot, but it is certainly a more reasonable number then I thought it would be."

It was the next morning and Dave had been right when he said that they needed to just relax, have a meal, get some sleep, Emily reflected. But then he often was and could get her to slow down when nobody else could. She would probably run herself into the ground if she was involved in some sort of project if Dave didn't look after her.

"This isn't San Francisco or Los Angeles," Dave told her. "Now if our Jennifer had settled someplace like that they're likely would have been hundreds of them, but really, Chula Vista is a relatively small place. They were bound to use other names for baby girls besides, Jennifer and probably around half the population is male. That's just an estimate, as it's probably slightly more or less than that, but it's not like I can give you exact numbers."

"Alright, so maybe I was wrong," Emily admitted, something that wasn't easy for her to do.

"It's still going to be a big job, although I would estimate that probably no more than 20 or 25 of those are likely around the age we want and I might be slightly overestimating," said Dave.

"Or maybe underestimating," Emily agreed. "Of course, you realize that our Jennifer might not be listed in the phonebook."

"I know, and if she's not we'll find a way to get the rest of the names," Dave said, "but for right now let's concentrate on tracking down the Jennifers that are around 30 or slightly younger. If we fail to locate her among the ones that are 27 to 30, then we can worry about finding the others. For all we know our Jennifer hasn't lived here very long and only moved here recently and therefore, wouldn't be listed in the phonebook."

"Yes, that is a possibility," Emily admitted looking worried, but concentrated on the task at hand.

"I know you're worried, so am I, but I don't think we need to panic quite yet," Dave said.

"Okay, let's get started," Emily said. "You realize that our Jennifer might be married with a kid or even a couple of them?"

"Yes, I know," Dave admitted. "We'll worry about that problem when we come to it. Let's have some breakfast before we get started."

Emily looked ready to protest and Dave gave her a look.

"We'll be able to search better on full stomachs," Dave told her sternly. "Remember you're pregnant now you have to look after yourself and the baby."

Emily nodded defeated, because she knew very well her mate was right.

This would not be the first child that she and technically, her husband had had. She and Dave had been married for a very long time, centuries actually, and had had only a few children in that amount of time. Really, it wasn't that easy for an Immortal to have children. Once about every 70 or 75 years was about average. She certainly didn't conceive as easy as mortals did, but on the other foot she never got too old to have them, so she supposed it more than evened out.

"Alright," Emily gave in, mostly because her stomach rumbled at that moment telling her she was hungry and needed to eat and Dave smiled.

"We'll just go back to the same place that we had dinner last night as they serve breakfast to, since the food was so good," Dave said. "We can consider trying someplace new for lunch or after we find Jennifer."

Emily nodded and begin to get dressed. Dave watched her for a few minutes admiring his wife's body, before he to began to get dressed.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"She's not the one we are looking for," Emily sighed, as Dave drove away from a pretty little house in the suburbs.

"Well, look at it this way we've crossed out about three names on the list," Dave said. "You knew this wasn't going to be a fast process."

"I think it's hormones," Emily admitted. "Normally, I have more patience then this."

"Yeah, you do," Dave admitted looking sideways at Emily. "You just don't have your normal patience right now, I understand that."

"It's a good thing, since I can be pretty hard to live with when I'm pregnant," Emily said wrinkling her nose at her mate.

"I'm used to it by now," Dave told her shrugging kissing her cheek, after he had stopped at a stoplight.

"Oh you," Emily said deciding not take offense at that, mostly because Dave was right, though she did let out a long-suffering sigh just for show.

"Next address," Dave suggested ignoring his mate's dramatic sigh.

Emily told him and then gave him directions. Dave nodded and listened to the sound of his wife's sensual voice as he drove.

"You know some of these women are going to have jobs and things," Emily noted. "We've been lucky so far that the three we tracked down were housewives."

"So we'll just go to their place of employment if necessary, but only if they work somewhere public like a restaurant or a department store, as we don't want to call attention to ourselves," Dave said.

"Definitely not," Emily agreed. "We don't need some policeman watching our every move or even just a curious person with a suspicious nature, as they tend to cause trouble, even if it's just by calling the cops."

"No, we don't need to be thought of as undesirables," Dave said. "Or at least troublemakers. That's why I insisted on us getting a plain SUV, something that's common around here."

The SUV soared through the sky, as most traffic nowadays was in the air, though not all of it, as not every one could afford an air vehicle.

"Smart thinking," Emily said.

"Thank you, but I knew we couldn't afford to draw attention to ourselves. Not if we wanted to find and talk to Jennifer at least," Dave said, as they reached their destination. "It's a good thing we can tell with a look whether or not we have the right person, as I don't know how we would approach each one close enough to brush up against them, if touch was required."

"Yeah, good thing," Emily agreed. "You know it's after noon and I'm starving, so after we see whether or not this Jennifer's home, maybe we can go get some lunch and continue the search afterwards."

"Sounds good," Dave agreed, since it was something he had been about to suggest himself, but Emily had beat him to it.

"I see a light on inside so somebody's got to be home," Emily said, peering out the car window.

Dave to looked in the same direction Emily was and spotted a little boy who couldn't be more than four years old running past.

"That's a cute little boy," Emily said.

"Yes, he's adorable," Dave agreed. "I can hardly wait for our child to be here."

"It's not like we haven't had children over the centuries," Emily said absently.

"Yes, and every single one of them has been adorable at that age," Dave countered smiling, as he thought about his and Emily numerous brood. Unfortunately, they only had one child at a time and that one had a chance to grow up before they had another. He had always imagined having the whole house filled with the sound of children's laughter, but unfortunately, Immortality, wasn't all it was cracked up to be at least when it came to a woman's fertility.

"Here she comes," Emily said suddenly. "She has three children with her."

"She's probably taking at least one of them to some kind of doctor's appointment maybe," Dave said. "Don't mortal children so young have doctors appointments frequently?"

"No, I don't believe so, unless they are sick," Emily said after thinking about it.

"Well, that baby she's carrying in the carrier can't be more than six or seven months old at most," Dave said.

"Maybe she's just taking them to the park, you know for play time at least for the older boys," Emily suggested.

"That's possible," Dave said, as he studied the woman's figure, which he had only seen a profile of so far. "We need her to look this way so one of us can look into her eyes," Dave said.

"She's not looking around, so I'll simply get out and ask her directions, before she gets going," Emily said.

Dave nodded, as he knew that the woman in question was more likely to respond to a strange female without fear then a strange man.

"I'll be right back," Emily said kissing Dave's cheek before she opened her car door and walked across the street.

Dave watched as Emily had a brief conversation with the woman, who looked startled at first, but then relaxed.

That's one thing he really admired about his mate, was her easy way of gaining people's confidence no matter whether it was male or female. She just had a way with people, always had and it had gotten them out of a few tough situations over the centuries. When she wanted to Emily could have a whole crowd of men panting after her. Have them under her spell in only a few minutes and part of that was the fact that Emily was simply a stunningly beautiful woman, with her dark hair and eyes and slightly exotic features something a lot of men responded to, even married ones.

Emily made her way back to the car and got in just as a woman drove off.

"She's not the one," Emily said, as soon as she had shut the door

"Alright then," Dave said. "So let's go find us a place for lunch and then we can do a few more."

"Sounds good," Emily said, not mentioning her desperate need to pee, even though she was only about three months along.

Dave started the engine and drove off.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Well, we've gone through over half of women on the list," Emily sighed.

"Well, we are making progress," Dave said trying to stay positive, but he too was getting rather disheartened. It was just that he and Emily had been waiting for their second mate to be born for so long, centuries actually, and he had believed it wouldn't be too difficult to find her, but so far he had been proved wrong as the two of them were at the end of day ten of their search.

Dave was trying his best to keep Emily's spirits up as well as his own, but it was getting harder and harder every day.

"Well, let's go get some dinner, and then get some sleep," Dave suggested gently. "We can continue searching in the morning."

"Yeah, okay, I am hungry," Emily said patting her still relatively flat belly.

"I'm not surprised considering," Dave said.

"But I'm only three months along," Emily said.

"Yes, well, it's been hours since lunch and we only grabbed a sandwich each," Dave reminded her. "Both of us have every right to be starving."

"Yes, you're right," Emily agreed finally.

"So where do you want to eat tonight?" Dave asked smiling.

"What about that Spanish place?" Emily suggested. "We haven't tried it yet."

"Spanish it is," Dave agreed. "We should be there in about 10 minutes, as we're not to far away."

"Okay," Emily said leaning back in closing her eyes.

Dave watched this out of the corner of his eye and thought it was good for Emily to relax for a few minutes, as she had been under considerable stress and worry, which wasn't good for her or the baby. It wouldn't do her any harm, but the baby was a different matter.

Dave only hoped that they found Jennifer soon, so that Emily could relax. Of course, as Emily had already pointed out Jennifer might already be happily married with a couple of kids and if that was the case they wouldn't interfere with her life. If the husband mistreated her though the two of them would take action, only with Jennifer's permission though, because they wouldn't want their mate to resent or hate them for interfering in her life.

Right now, he and Emily just needed to concentrate on finding her and the rest could be sorted out later.

"Emily," Dave called a few minutes later. "Wake up, sweetheart."

"Uh? Wha...?" Emily mumbled, as she struggled wake up.

"We're at the restaurant," Dave said and Emily finally open her eyes to look at him.

"Man, I must've really been asleep," Emily said.

"Dropped off like a stone down a well," Dave told her, "once you allowed yourself to relax. It doesn't help that you haven't been sleeping well for the last few days. You were out the second the back of your head hit the headrest."

"Well, let's go eat so we can go back to the hotel and sleep," Emily said.

"Great idea," Dave said smiling.

"Thank you for loving me," Emily said suddenly leaning over and kissing Dave's cheek. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You're quite welcome," Dave told her with tenderness in his voice. "Believe me, I feel the same way, as I definitely don't know what I'd do without you in my life."

"Well, luckily, we'll never have to find out," Emily said smiling, as she got out of the car.

"Yeah, luckily," Dave agreed easily, as he joined her on the sidewalk.

The two of them walked hand-in-hand in to the Spanish restaurant named El Pecado de la Glotonería or translated into English it meant The Sin of Gluttony.

"The sin of gluttony is what that means," Emily said giggling after reading the sign.

"Yeah, I know," Dave said chuckling to himself. "I'm sure most people wouldn't know what it means though, as a lot of people only speak one language nowadays. Oh, well, it doesn't matter it seems pretty popular despite the rather silly name."

"Table for two?" asked a pretty female with long blonde hair and baby blue eyes. Dave and Emily both looked into the eyes and felt as if they had been struck by lightning. They had found their mate at last, when they had least been expecting it.

"Yes, thank you," Dave said recovering himself only seconds later.

JJ didn't seem to notice their reaction, which had only lasted for a few seconds and that was a good thing, as this wasn't the place to explain exactly why they had been looking for her.

"This way," JJ said, as she led them to about the only table available.

"Thank you," Emily said her voice strained.

"You're welcome," JJ said. "I'll also be your waitress this evening as your regular one is out with a bad cold."

"Well, Ms. Jennifer," Dave said smiling charmingly, "it's nice to have such a pretty waitress."

JJ blushed, which pleased Dave, because it proved that Jennifer was attracted to him.

"You can call me JJ, as that's the name I use," JJ said smiling pleasantly hoping it didn't look completely smitten. "I'll give you a few minutes to decide on what you want."

JJ left them and Dave looked Emily who was looking back at him.

"Well, that was rather..." Dave began trying to find the right word.

"Surprising? Astonishing? Unexpected?" Emily suggested with a little smile having gotten over her shock, relatively fast.

"All of the above," Dave said laughing. "Now we just need to decide how to approach her."

"That's not going to be very easy," Emily said.

"Probably not," Dave admitted. "I mean in this modern age it's hard to believe that such things as the supernatural and paranormal exist."

"Yeah, I know," Emily sighed. "We are going to have to think of something though, because we both know that she's one of us or at least that she could be."

Emily opened her menu so Dave did the same.

"Have you decided on what you liked to order?" JJ asked, as she came by the table a few minutes later.

"I'll have the Arròs negre, along with some iced tea," Dave said.

"And I'll have the Cuchifritos along with a Sprite," Emily said.

"It'll be ready in a few minutes," JJ promised.

"So Ms. Jennifer, may we know your last name," Dave asked with a charming grin, causing JJ to blush again.

"It's Jareau," JJ said trying to control her libido, as she was a red blooded American girl after all, and she found this man very attractive, but she knew that he would never be hers, as he was obviously married to the beautiful woman sitting across from him. The sexual vibes between the pair was obvious as the nose on your face, unless you were a total idiot.

Unfortunately, for her she stayed away from married men, except as friends. Sometimes it was a pain to have ethics, Jennifer sighed internally.

"I'm Dave, David Rossi at your service madame," Dave said gallantly with another charming grin.

"Emily Prentiss," Emily introduced yourself, shaking JJ's hand, pretending not to notice the attraction between JJ and her husband, but internally was very pleased at JJ's obvious interest.

"It's nice to meet you both," JJ said. "Are you moving into the area or just passing through?"

"It hasn't been decided yet," Dave said. "It's a beautiful town though."

"Thank you, but I wasn't born here," JJ said. "I only moved here about three years ago as of last week. So are you kind of taking a road trip?"

"Something like that," Emily answered, though she let Dave do most of the talking so JJ's attention was focused almost solely on him. It was clear to Emily that JJ was very attracted to Dave, totally and completely smitten, which was good, because this JJ or Jennifer Jareau belonged with Dave and her as Dave's second mate.

Besides, she missed having a female friend, Emily admitted. Someone she could talk about being Immortal with. There were other Immortals out there of course, and she and Dave did run into them occasionally, but really, that didn't happen too often. Unfortunately, she had never had a close friends among the Immortals, not somebody she could talk to about anything anyway, even though she knew plenty of other Immortals other then Dave. She and another female just hadn't clicked. If JJ decided to join them Emily just knew that they'd become as close as sisters, just with an interest in the same man. Dave would be the only one having sex with her if she agreed to go through the process of turning her Immortal, because she just didn't swing that way and she was sure that her and that Dave's final mate would also be female and also wouldn't swing towards her own sex. Still, the four of them would be mates with Dave at the center of course, but only if things went well.

Emily was well aware that one man with three women wasn't exactly considered the norm and that they'd get a lot of people in their faces about how wrong it was or at least giving them disapproving looks, especially if they ended up pregnant at the same time. However, there was nothing illegal about it, so there was nothing people could really do even if they were highly disapproving.

Of course, men dated more than one women at a time, but mostly they didn't know about each other and that man settled down with one woman not three.

"So whenever you're free perhaps, you can show me and Emily the sites," Dave suggested smiling charmingly. "See if we want to stay in the area."

"Well..." JJ said, her willpower crumbling, due to the power of Dave's most charming smile.

Emily had seen what the power of Dave's smile could do and more than once thought that her mate could charm moss off rocks or the birds out of trees with the power of his smile alone.

"We would really appreciate it," Emily told JJ being absolutely honest and sincere. "We don't know anyone here and it might make it an easier decision for us to settle in the area if we had a friend here already."

"Well, okay," JJ finally decided unable to resist Dave's puppy dog expression. "I would love it if you would settle in the area. I do have some girlfriends I hang out with, but none of them I would consider a best friend."

"So you don't have a boyfriend or husband?" Dave asked playing like it was an innocent question. "Someone to come home to?"

"No, I'm afraid not," JJ sighed. "I did have a boyfriend, but he turned rather demanding, started stalking me after I broke up with him. A friend of mine, that is a police detective, advised me that I should probably think about moving somewhere else altogether to get this stalker off my trail."

"Sound advice," Dave offered. "A lot of times stalkers can be rather dangerous, as they can get obsessed with their target, even if the target has never met them before or only seen them in passing."

"That's what my friend told me," JJ agreed.

"We know you need to get back to work so here's our phone number and email address," said Emily kindly. "Really, we are free anytime, so we can work around your schedule to see some of the sites. Please call us."

"And here's my phone number and email address," JJ said writing both on a napkin. "Now, I really must be getting back to work."

JJ walked away and Dave stared after her longingly and Emily knew exactly what her mate was thinking.

"I thought that went rather well," Emily said softly, though it wasn't likely that anybody would be able to hear them considering that the restaurant was packed and there was a lot of noise from the various tables, not to mention the music. No, they would have to be shouting in order to be heard, something that they had no intention of doing.

"Yeah, it did," Dave agreed, getting his expression under control. "Still...so many things could go wrong."

"I know," Emily said. "She might not want the competition for your affection for one thing, as most women are extremely jealous of their guy and aren't willing to share him and even if she was willing to give it a try there's no guarantees that she would stick until the process to turn her Immortal is complete, which means the jealousy of others would fade."

"Well, so long as it was you and whoever our third mate is, as all of you would be jealous of some strange women, trying to ensnare me," Dave said.

"Yes, I know," Emily smiled. "Feel better?"

"A little, but I'm still worried," Dave admitted.

"I can tell. You certainly have every right to be, but you know I'll help you in anyway I can," said Emily. "I know mine and JJ's relationship will be platonic, because I don't swing that way and I doubt she does either, but still, it will be nice to have a sister that I can discuss anything with. Someone I can be best friends with, you know?"

"You've had best friends before, but they were all mortal, so they eventually died," Dave said.

"Exactly and that was back before the paranormal took a backseat to science," Emily said. "Yes, soothsayers still exist, but most people don't believe in them anymore and consider them weird and strange at best and dangerous or crazy at worst."

"Yeah, I know," Dave sighed sounding melancholy. "I have several people I consider friends among Immortals as you know, but I don't get to see them very much. We both know that if it wasn't so hard it wouldn't be worth anything. You know that Ilithyia believes that we have to work everything we get."

"Believe me, I'm aware," Emily smiled. "I think the gods believe in the philosophy that if you don't earn what you receive then you get greedy and make demands. I can see the method in that strategy, because a lot of humans are spoiled rotten and think they deserve more than they get, mostly because they've been given everything instead of having to work for it. Yes, some Immortals are spoiled rotten brats, but that's mostly when they are young and they mostly grow out of that stage and if they don't then they deserve what they get for blaspheming against the gods, Ilithyia in particular."

"Yes, certain concessions can be made when you're just a child learning about the world," Dave agreed. "Of course, once we reach 30 then we are considered fully mature and should know enough by then, not to disdain or rail against the gods enough that they take away your Immortality or strike you down for your blasphemy."

"Which some never learn," Emily shrugged.

"Well, if they don't, that's not our problem," Dave said. "We have our arrogant, hot tempered people to, though I admit that most of us were raised to respect the gods and Ilithyia most of all."

"Oh, they were raised to respect the gods, especially Ilithyia it just didn't take," Emily corrected.

"Yeah, you're right," Dave agreed. "It's very rare when an older Immortal forget that they owe their Immortality to Ilithyia and of course, they try to teach that to their children, that reverence."

"It's not our fault that some of the younger Immortals do things that our gods absolutely abhor," Emily shrugged unconcerned. "If they want to be lazy and not work for what they get that's their problem. Laziness might not make you lose your Immortality but murder and rape certainly will."

"Also stealing," Dave said. "Though in that case it's all a matter of what kind of stealing we are talking about. If some Immortal wants to bilk older couples out of their life savings then they're going to have to accept the consequences."

"Yeah, the gods don't care if you want to steal from somebody who stole it first or who made money off other people's pain and misery, but to steal from someone who made their money honestly that's a big no-no, especially if it's being used to raise their family or just to put food on the table."

"Yeah, most of the gods don't care if you take someone's blood money, not even Ilithyia, but to rob a bank or to steal someone's money through electronic transfer...," Dave agreed, stopping right there as he saw Jennifer coming back with their dinner.

Emily saw her to and nodded to Dave telling him silently to turn on the charm.

"Well, here's our lovely waitress," Dave said once JJ had gotten close enough.

JJ blushed right on cue and Dave felt that things were going pretty well.

"You shouldn't be flirting, sir," JJ told him, but with laughter in her eyes. "You're a married man after all, or at least heavily involved with the beautiful lady across from you."

"I certainly don't mind," Emily said smiling at the interaction.

JJ actually looked astonished at that, but then recovered herself, thinking that a little lighthearted flirtation certainly couldn't do any harm and it certainly boosted her severely bent self-confidence, due to a certain stalker who wouldn't leave her alone, until she had finally moved way across the country and only after she had gotten out of the hospital where he had put her.

"I'll leave you to your meal," JJ said flipping her pure blonde hair over her shoulder and winking at Dave before she walked away.

"Well, I would say she's definitely interested," Emily said smiling.

"Interested yes, but will she actually follow through on that interest is the question," Dave said, as he took the first bite of his meal. "Men flirt with ladies all the time whether or not they are married, and mostly it's just harmless fun for both parties. However, I doubt that JJ will take it to the next level without a lot of encouragement, especially since we can't exactly hide that we are heavily involved at least. I'm sure she's been taught that going after a married man is a sin and even if she hasn't been she doesn't seem to type to take that particular path, as I can tell she's to honest and forthright to supposedly try to come between you and me."

"Yeah, that's likely what she will believe," Emily admitted. "She'll believe that since we're involved she doesn't have a chance and even if she thinks she does she'll never go after you because you are obviously very involved with me, whether I'm your girlfriend, your fiancé or your wife."

"Well, I think we should get to know her first and then perhaps reveal a little about ourselves over time," Dave said thoughtfully. "We need to make her fall in love with me and you need to become her closest friend and confidant."

"If we do that here, we'll be the talk of the town in no time," Emily said. "This place is too small to try something like that. Oh, we can go places so long as we act like the best of friends only, but you won't be able to flirt with her openly unless we do it in a big city. Someplace like Los Angeles or San Diego or San Francisco, since such things wouldn't even be noticed in such places, because of how many more people there are then here in Chula Vista."

"Convincing her to take a trip with us is going to be a lot of work," Dave said thoughtfully. "Perhaps, the two of you can go shopping or something and make sure it's clear that whatever she buys is on me, because I'm sure she doesn't make much money in a place like this. Probably just enough for basic expenses, apartment, car insurance things like that."

"That's going to have to wait awhile until we get to know her better, because women have their pride after all," Emily told Dave who nodded. "I think she's very independent and she'll likely argue about the idea of you spending any money on her, even if that's through me, especially since she's not your wife or your fiancé."

"Alright, that's a good point," Dave said. "There is no need to rush this as we need to gain Jennifer's trust first, even if my libido protests."

"You're just going to have to keep your libido under control for the moment or you might wreck everything," Emily said firmly. "We can't afford to push her in a direction she's not ready to go or she'll flee and we would have lost what is likely our only chance."

"Yeah, I will need to take things slowly," Dave agreed softly. "We'll start out with seeing the sites, maybe taking her to lunch, and we'll just proceed from there. I think that you need to subtly let her know that you aren't going to be jealous if we do get involved at least until we tell her the real situation."

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Emily agreed. "She seems like a smart lady so she'll likely pick up the subtle signals I send in her direction."

"She's bound to be very intelligent, because anyone who isn't, is not going to be a good match for me," Dave told Emily who totally agreed with that assessment. "I like a woman who can think for themselves just like you like a man that does and I also like ones that give me their opinion when it's needed or sometimes when it's not."

"It's a good thing," Emily said winking at Dave sassily, causing him to snort in amusement.

"Yes, you've never been known to keep your opinions to yourself, not even when it wasn't really proper for a female to express them at least in public," Dave said with laughter in his eyes. "You always went your own way no matter what or how much trouble it got you in."

"It never got me in trouble among Immortals, since we tended to be more forward thinking then mortals hundreds of years ago," Emily shrugged. "Me being married to you protected me when I did express my opinion, because I wasn't an unattached female and you found nothing wrong with what I did."

"You sure did get a lot of disapproving looks," Dave chuckled. "Some women even came up and outright slapped you for the way you were acting. Women just didn't have opinions back then or if they did they kept them to themselves unless their husband genuinely loved them and listened to them, but only in private."

"Which was pretty rare," Emily said.

"Yeah, it was," Dave agreed. "Of course, we don't know what went on in the privacy of the home."

"No, we don't, but we can tell a lot just by how a husband and wife act in public," Emily said.

"True," Dave said, as he took another bite of his delicious dinner. "We need to try to come back here before we leave town hopefully, with Jennifer, as the food is absolutely superb."

"Yeah, it is," Emily said smiling, "and it's also reasonably priced unlike so many places."

"Price doesn't matter," Dave said, "but still, I understand what you mean. Here we're getting a bargain for the fantastic food, while so many places are so expensive and the food isn't even half as good. Yes, we'll definitely have to come back hopefully, several times before we leave."

"It's too bad this place isn't a chain, but unfortunately, it's one-of-a-kind," Emily sighed in pleasure, as she took the last bite of her dinner.

"One-of-a-kind places are disappearing fast," Dave said. "It's mostly chains now."

"I doubt places like this will ever disappear completely, but chain restaurants certainly do make up a great percentage of eating places," Emily said.

"And while the food is good, it's not spectacular or anything for the most part," Dave said.

"Yeah, but we have found a few exceptions," Emily smiled.

"We should get going, as you're tired and need a good night sleep," Dave said finishing the last bite of his food.

JJ appeared with the bill, as if by magic almost as soon as they were done and Dave offered her his credit card with a flourish.

"We were serious about the offer of you showing us around," Dave told JJ gently with another smile, "so make sure you contact us on the next day you have off."

"Actually, I have off tomorrow," JJ said with a smile of her own.

"Well, what a coincidence," Dave said smiling brightly. "You're welcome to call us anytime after nine as we're always up by then."

"Alright," JJ said a little shyly, thinking she was going to have to be very careful for she could easily fall for this David Rossi and since she already knew he was involved with Emily, whether that was as his wife, his girlfriend or his fiancée, she wasn't about to get her heart broken by trying to interfere. A little harmless flirting was one thing, but trying to get Dave as her boyfriend at least would likely see her rebuffed, something she wasn't willing to risk, so she would just have to accept them as friends and put her illogical feelings to the side.

Hopefully, they would move into the area, so that they could really be friends, but she wasn't getting her hopes up.

JJ took Dave's credit card to run it through the register thinking she was looking forward to tomorrow, before bringing it back to him.

"I'll call you after nine tomorrow," JJ promised.

"We'll be waiting," Dave said smiling again causing JJ's heart to flutter frantically in her chest like it wanted to take wing and fly away. Her body had never had this kind of reaction to any man, but then none of them had been this drop dead gorgeous either. She was really going to have to watch yourself as she wanted them as friends at least.

"Please come again," JJ said.

"We plan to," Emily smiled.

"The food was fantastic so we plan on coming as often possible while we are in the area," Dave added with a charming grin.

"Yeah, the food is very good here," JJ agreed. "It's one of my favorite places to eat and it helps that I get a discount since I work here."

JJ watched Emily and Dave depart thinking that it had been quite an evening, as she hadn't blushed so much in years.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

"Good morning," Dave greeted Emily, as soon as she awoke. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Much better thanks, I slept like a slug," Emily yawned, before she accepted a kiss from Dave.

"Well, you needed it," Dave said. "You have been putting yourself under a great deal of stress, now that we've found her though, I think we can relax, a little anyway."

"Yeah, I think the next part is going to be mainly up to you," Emily said. "I'll do my part, make sure she knows that we're open to alternate types of relationships."

"That's one way of putting it," Dave snorted in amusement. "Most people don't practice polygamy anymore you know, although they did centuries ago. Polygamy is even in the Bible and yet it is not considered part of the modern world for the most part."

"I know," Emily agreed. "In a way, I can understand it, because taking more than one wife means that all the wives get the benefits if the husband suddenly dies like Social Security for example. Still, there is a way around that if people would structure the laws so that if you take more than one wife or husband you have to pay out double or triple the amount for Social Security, depending on how many spouses the husband has. Most people couldn't afford to do that, but some definitely can."

"Yeah, that's true," Dave said. "It would be hard to push that into law though, because so many people would be against it. Religious groups or people who believe in monogamous relationships or people who like to protest just for the sake of it."

"Still, people can't stop progress and I suspect that it will eventually become law, if only because of the money involved. I also think that there would be less cheating by spouses in general if they were allowed to take more than one husband or wife."

"Like the Muslims for example," Dave said and Emily nodded.

"Or the Mormons, well, before that was mostly stopped although there are still pockets, small communities, that do the multiple relationship deal, illegal or not," Emily said. "Personally, I don't see what's wrong with multiple marriages so long as neither the man or the woman is underage and all of them are treated equally. I can actually see the benefits so long as there's trust involved. People helping take care of each other's children, helping with the chores or household expenses, or somebody to look after you when you're sick or if you have perhaps, taken a bad spill and broken a bone. Someone to get you to the hospital instead of you having to struggle to your feet to call 911 and that's only if it's not your leg that's broken. Yes, I can see many benefits in that type of relationship."

"Yeah, that's true and I totally agree," Dave said. "Trust is a main factor with any type of relationship monogamous or not."

"Which is one reason we need to work to get JJ to trust us. She needs to trust that we have her best interest at heart. That we'll do right by her, particularly you, because you'll be the male in the relationship and traditionally it's the male that's the main provider," Emily said.

"You're saying that a lot of people still think that way, women in particular," Dave said and Emily nodded.

"It wasn't until the last couple of hundred years that woman really started to earn a living on their own and really not until the 1960s a woman could have a job other then as a secretaries, nurses domestics, schoolteachers, or as clerical workers, but those that did rarely got married, especially for careers like a doctor. Some men were understanding about a woman's freedom of choice to work, to contribute towards household expenses, but that didn't happen very often."

"Yeah, I know," Dave said. "Women's freedom was a long time in coming and I always thought so."

"Yeah, well, you males fought it tooth and nail," Emily teased him.

"That's because males didn't want to lose their power," Dave told her. "They had the power over any woman that was in their care whether that was their wife, their daughter, their cousin, their sister-in-law or their niece. They also had control of a property that the women had and that often brought them greater wealth. It wasn't right by any stretch of the imagination, but it's taken centuries for mortals, particularly males, to realize this. It seems to be programmed into us to subjugate women who are often weaker than us males, physically anyway.

"I totally agree with that," Emily said. "Things have gotten better with a lot of women succeeding on their own, even if they marry and have a family, but then it is the 22nd century. It sure was a long time coming though."

"Definitely," Dave agreed. "But we have to realize that a lot of the settlers that populated America came over from England centuries ago and they were very traditional for the most part. Of course, a lot of women were happy in their marriages, which was fine, but so many men abused their wives or cheated on them, that I don't blame them for wanting to get equal rights. I mean women are so much more intelligent than so many men give them credit for, even today."

"Definitely true," Emily said. "I mean a woman could be put in the stocks centuries ago just for behaving in an unwomanly manner. I'm well aware that woman were seen as lesser beings and a lot of times as not very intelligent. A lot men treated them worse then their pet dogs."

"A mold that women struggled to break out of for many centuries," Dave said. "Now, you had better go get a shower and get dressed, as I suspect that JJ will be calling shortly after nine, so that gives you about half an hour."

"Perhaps, we can offer to take her to breakfast," Emily suggested.

"I was already going to, but she probably has already eaten since most people eat about 7:00 or 7:30," Dave said.

"I also think for the next few days anyway that we need to do everything together so that she can get truly comfortable with both of us," Emily added, as she pulled her nightgown over her head. "I don't think that you in particular need to be alone with her for at least a week or two."

"That's going to be hard, but I do understand," Dave said, grimacing. It was indeed going to be hard to not be alone with Jennifer, but he also understood Emily's reasoning, so he would make do.

"Weren't you just telling me that anything you have to work for is worth the effort?" Emily asked Dave with a smile.

"Yeah, I did, though I didn't use those exact words, but still, the intent was the same," Dave said smiling back, glad to see that his wife was much more relaxed now that they had actually located Jennifer.

Emily threw her clothes on the bed and then headed for the shower, after selecting what she wanted to wear for the day.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Well, that was fun," JJ laughed.

"Are you telling me with you've lived here for three years and never been to the Aquatica?"

"No, I've never had the time," JJ shrugged. "To tell you the truth I preferred to go with someone and none of my friends seemed interested. To me it just doesn't seem like the kind of activity that you want to do alone."

"Yes, I think, the place like this is much more enjoyable if you need to have a bunch of kids or you're with some friends," Emily said.

"I suppose since we are adults that it would seem rather childish to come to a place like this," JJ suggested.

"That just shows you what idiot a lot of adults are," Dave snorted. "This kind of place is for people of all ages, even if I admit it's largely populated by kids or teenagers. I admit that most of the adults are here with a child or two or even a whole group, but that doesn't mean that they are not having fun. I mean, even if you aren't into rides they're are shows and other things that would appeal to the adults. As much as I don't want to upset you I think those friends of yours could act a little childish once in awhile, as it would probably loosen them up. After all, a lot of adults know how to have fun too."

"Yeah, you're right," JJ said cheering up.

"Of course, some people don't like to see the animals pent-up and want them to be free, but then if that's the case they don't have to come," Emily said. "I know that some people, women in particular are extremely softhearted."

"Yeah, this kind of place isn't for everyone, but still, they get enough business that they have parks like this all over the world," Dave said.

"Well, not everyone likes amusement parks, either, but still, I can see the appeal," JJ said.

"So can I," Dave said. "Besides, there are places like parks or walking trails if you want a romantic walk or just want to see the scenery. There're plenty of places to take somebody on a date or two."

JJ blushed, as that statement seemed to be directed at her but no, it couldn't be right?

"Well, shall we get back into the crowds?" Dave asked, as he finished his lunch.

"Sounds good," JJ smiled, as she hadn't had this much fun ever since she had left hometown of Virginia. JJ took the last few bites of her lunch and then threw her trash away and Emily and Dave did the same before the three of them walked out of the café.

"So where to next?" Dave asked JJ cheerfully.

"Well, we haven't seen the show with Shamu in it yet," JJ suggested.

"Sounds good," Dave said making sure he brushed against Jennifer as much as possible, making it look like an accident, because of the crowds every time. He wanted JJ to get used to being touched by him, used to seeing him as something more then a friend. He was actually hoping that by using this method that she would accept his and Emily's explanation much easier, mainly because of her attraction to him. And yes, JJ was attracted, as she blushed every time he did brush against her deliberately or on accident, which Dave knew was a good sign.

"Well, the next show should be starting soon," JJ said looking at the guide that she had bought or rather Dave had bought as he had insisted on paying for the entire day, no matter how much she'd protested. She had finally given in not wanting to ruin the entire day with bad feelings.

"Well, let's go, shall we?" Dave suggested smiling, hoping JJ didn't notice how strained it was. He tried to get his libido under control, but to be this near his second mate was rather difficult, since the bond was nowhere near finalized, but hopefully, worth it in the end.

The three of them made their way through the crowds towards where the show was taking place as fast as they could. Still, it wasn't very fast at all, due to all the people, but finally they made it and found seats just to the show was starting.

The three of them spent an enjoyable time watching the show and then decided that it was time for them to leave, as they had basically seen and done everything they wanted to.

"We'll drop you off at your apartment," Dave offered once they had finally left the park.

JJ didn't have a car at the moment as it was in the shop so she had taken the bus to the restaurant and met Dave and Emily.

"Sounds good," JJ said smiling.

"So when's your next day off?" Dave asked really not wanting to void his chances by pushing it.

"Not until Wednesday," JJ said. "But I work the early shift tomorrow, so I should be done by four or so."

"Well, perhaps we could do something after you get off," Emily said.

"That would be fun," JJ said. "I really enjoyed myself today."

"We are glad you did," Dave said smiling.

"Perhaps a picnic or something as the weather is really warming up. It shouldn't be too hot tomorrow," JJ suggested

"Well, a picnic for dinner instead of lunch," Dave said grinning. "I suppose we can set a trend."

"Well, I admit that picnics are usually done for lunch, but who's to say we won't enjoy ourselves?" Emily said, letting Dave carry most of the conversation on purpose.

"Oh, we will, as the park will mostly be empty by 5 o'clock, as families go home for dinner," JJ blushed and her intentions were clear. JJ clearly wanted Dave to herself, with only Emily as a witness to her rather unusual behavior.

Normally, JJ would never have suggested a picnic in the park for dinner as there would be hardly anyone around. She hardly knew these people after all, but for some reason she trusted them and she wasn't exactly sure why just that she did.

She couldn't see how someone as handsome, kind and intelligent as Dave could be say an axe murderer. Still, she was usually much more cautious, but she felt like throwing caution to the wind, something she had never done before in her life.

The three of them reached the car feeling a little tired, but happy and both Emily and JJ climbed in the back talking softly and giggling as Dave started the engine.

Well, it looked like Emily and JJ were getting along splendidly, which had been part of the plan all along, Dave thought smiling. He wanted all three of his mates to get along with each other as well as him and the bond would take care of any jealousy.

Of course, he was well aware that they were a long way from having Jennifer agree to give a relationship a try, but so far it was going well and hopefully, it would continue to do so, but for now he would take Jennifer right to her door and make sure she got inside safely before he and Emily headed back to the hotel.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

Two weeks later

"Well, this is fun," JJ said smiling, as she and Emily shopped together at Westfield Plaza Bonita.

"Definitely," Emily said, as she sampled several soaps and hand lotions, along with JJ at Bath and Body Works. "It's much more fun to shop with somebody then alone and this kind of place isn't really Dave's cup of tea."

"Well, it is kind of a female place," JJ giggled. "It's females that love to shop after all. Well, mostly anyway."

Emily and her were becoming good friends and she really hoped that she and Dave would stay in the area maybe in National City which was only a few minutes away or even in Chula Vista itself. It would be so nice to have a good friend and not just a few casual ones that she hung out with occasionally, mostly for companionship.

"Well, Dave does like a certain type of soap from here so we'll get him some," Emily said. "It has an appropriate masculine scent. He's pretty good about doing his clothes shopping himself, so in that way he's much better than a lot of men who depend on their wives or girlfriends to do that kind of shopping for them. He also loves to enter any type of electronics store as he loves all the gadgets."

"Well, that just sounds like a lot of men I know of," JJ giggled. "I don't see any problem with a man gawking at all the electronics and even buying some things so long as they can afford to. Besides, a man has to have hobbies, you know? Us women, certainly do."

"True, true," Emily agreed smiling.

The two of them continued to laugh and giggle, seeming determined to buy out the entire store, before they moved on. By the time they left they were loaded down with shopping bags and there was so many stores yet for them to raid.

"What about Eagle outfitters," Emily suggested. "They have some good things."

"The awfully expensive though," JJ said worrying her bottom lip.

"Don't worry about that, perhaps, they are having a good sale," Emily said, already having instructions from Dave that she was to pay for all of JJ's purchases today, which was just like her mate, Emily knew. Of course, JJ was Dave's mate to even if she wasn't aware of it yet, so this could be seen as Dave taking care of his mate's wants and needs. Emily knew well that JJ would likely strongly object if she did as Dave instructed, but since she happened to agree with those instructions she was just going to have to figure out a way to convince JJ to go along.

Emily knew that JJ likely wouldn't want to cause a scene, so perhaps, that was the tact to take.

"Alright, there's no harm in looking around," JJ said.

Unfortunately, a lot of the money she had gotten from her aunt had gone towards medical bills, so there wasn't as much of it as there had been, which was why she had to be careful with what she spent.

"Well, I for one need some new boots and I usually buy them here," Emily said. "Not always, because not every city we go to has one."

"Don't you ever look for a bargain?" JJ asked.

"Of course I do," Emily assured her friend, who was quickly becoming a sister to her. "I deliberately get up early in the morning when they're having sales after Christmas for example just so I can hunt for those last few bargains. Still, good footwear is essential because Dave and I do a lot of walking, you know?"

"Well, if you're anything like me you love shoes and clothes," JJ giggled as he entered Eagle Outfitters.

"Oh absolutely," Emily laughed. "Dave and I were living in Rome before we came to Chula Vista and I had a whole closet full of shoes. They're still there, but they'll likely be out of style before we go back."

"Why would you want to leave somewhere exotic like Rome," JJ asked genuinely puzzled.

"Dave and I like to move around a lot," Emily shrugged, not telling her the real reason of course. "I suppose we just have a bit of wanderlust, which makes us perfect for each other."

"Does that mean you won't be staying in San Diego County at least?" JJ asked disappointed. "Somewhere close by so we can get together often and do what best friends do when they get together?"

"We probably will move somewhere close by," Emily assured her friend, although she knew that she wasn't precisely telling the truth, but JJ didn't know about the whole Immortal thing yet and so she had to see fib little. "Dave and I would like to stay close to you."

Now that statement was pure truth.

"Good, I hope you do," JJ said somewhat reassured. "I haven't felt this close to anybody since I was a teenager."

The two women continued to shop for several hours and then stopped at Applebee's for lunch.

"This is really nice to have a girlfriend," JJ said, as she started eating the starter she had ordered.

"Yeah I know what you mean, as sometimes I have trouble making friends too," Emily admitted. "Of course, the fact, that Dave and I like to take trips to just about anywhere is part of it I know."

"I wonder why you like to travel so much," JJ mused.

"Well, I took a lot of trips as a kid," Emily said, not entirely truthfully, "and Dave did too so that's probably part of it. Besides, both of us like to see what's out there, things you hear about, but you don't necessarily get to see for yourself, the Great Wall of China for example, or the temple of Abu Simbel in Egypt. There are so many wonders of the world that most people never get to see because they never travel far from home for different reasons. Even if they do get to see some of the worlds great wonders they don't really appreciate them and how much effort they took to build, since they were done at a time before there was a lot of technology. Really, the only technology there was, was just basic things like pulleys."

"And of course, there's shopping," JJ said smiling, thinking it would be wonderful to experience at least some of what Emily described.

"Yes, of course there's shopping," Emily agreed smiling as well. "You know we women go to some foreign country and buy a ton of souvenirs. Some of the foreign fashions are really spectacular as is the jewelry."

The two women chatted as a ate their lunches, but finally JJ broached the subject that had already caused a minor argument.

"I'm going to pay you back for everything you put on your credit card, just because it was easier," JJ told her.

"Don't worry about it," Emily told her firmly. "You're my friend and I can more than afford it I promise you."

"But it's so much money..." JJ began and saw the look on Emily's face. "I'm not going to win am I?" JJ asked in realization.

"No, you're not, so you might as well not argue about it, as I told you I'd take care of it and I meant it," Emily told her deadly serious. "I've invested well and so has Dave so both of us combined have more money then we know what to do with, while you have to watch what you spend as that job as a waitress doesn't pay that well."

"I still have some money left from when I lived in Virginia," JJ tried, but Emily shook her head.

"I'm going to find some way to pay you back, even if it's not in money," JJ swore.

"There's no need," Emily said, "as having you as such a good friend is more than enough."

JJ looked at her friend Emily knew that her friend would find some way to pay her back, even if it wasn't in cash or credit.

"Well, let's hit a few more stores shall we before we head home," Emily said, as she finished her lunch.

"Sounds good," JJ said her normally sunny attitude returning. "They won't know what hit them."

"Definitely not," Emily chuckled, as she gestured for the waiter, so she could pay the bill and she and JJ could continue their shopping spree.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

JJ nervously checked the meatloaf she had in the oven, then checked on the other preparations.

She was incredibly nervous for the sole reason that she knew she had fallen in love with David Rossi and the weird thing was that Emily didn't seem to object.

Emily seemed to be putting out signals that said she wouldn't mind if she did get involved with her man. Also it was obvious that Dave was definitely interested in her and not just as a friend. That's what JJ couldn't figure out, as Dave and Emily were definitely a couple due to the way they laughed and joked so easily, not to mention the sexual vibes between them were so heavy they were nearly visible. Yet Dave was putting out signals that he was interested in a relationship with her. JJ had been trying to figure out what was going on for the last few days, but the only answers she came up with made no sense.

She intended to ask them both about it after dinner

Something really strange was going on, because if it had been her she would be protecting her territory with a vengeance. Suddenly the doorbell rang and JJ checked her appearance quickly, before going to answer it.

"Well, don't you look lovely," Dave complimented, kissing her cheek.

"Thank you," JJ blushed. "Dinner is almost ready. It will only be another five minutes or so."

"It sure does smell good," Dave said giving JJ his most charming grin, trying his best to hide his nervousness, because both he and Emily suspected they knew what was coming and had discussed just this possibility. JJ had indeed picked up on all the clues they had been dropping and both suspected that there would be a discussion after dinner.

It had been decided that Dave would have to do most of the talking, because it was him that JJ was attracted to, perhaps, had even fallen in love with. However, Emily would do her part and make it clear that she didn't mind and in fact, this was what was meant to be.

"Thank you," JJ said blushing a little, as she still wasn't used to compliments. JJ led them into the living room. "Please make yourselves comfortable I need to go check on dinner."

"Take your time," Emily said.

Once JJ had left Emily shot Dave a look only to find him looking back at her. They already knew that there was going to be questions after dinner, so nothing needed to be said, but it didn't mean that they both weren't nervous, since it was very important that JJ's reaction wasn't to tell them to never darken her doorway again.

"Dinner is served," JJ said coming into the living room.

"There was no need to go to so much trouble for us," Emily said, giving her friend a hug.

"It was no trouble," JJ said. "I like cooking when I have time, but what's the point of just cooking for yourself? Since I like cooking for others I don't get this opportunity to often."

"Well, we certainly appreciate the effort it took," Dave said being very sincere. "I'm sure that Emily and I will enjoy whatever you took so much time to prepare."

JJ tried not to blush again at the sincere words and knew that David Rossi was very good for her ego.

They arrived in the kitchen and it looked like JJ had gone all-out. The kitchen table was covered in a white tablecloth, which was then covered in various dishes. Dave pulled out a chair for JJ who sat down blushing yet again and then he did the same for Emily, before sitting down himself.

"Well, dig in," JJ said and passed Emily and Dave plates that were already sitting on the table.

Everybody took what they wanted from the dishes and then as JJ had suggested dug in.

Dave for his part sat beside JJ and made sure to keep the conversation light during dinner and also made sure to touch JJ intimately as often as possible. He wanted JJ in a constant state of low grade arousal, so that she wouldn't be able to dismiss her feelings as a fantasy. He wanted her to feel his touch, to imagine what it would be like if she was underneath him and he was kissing along her naked skin. He worried how Jennifer was going to react to the news that he and Emily were Immortal and that she could be to, how she was his second mate that he and Emily had been searching for, for the last 15 years. He had gotten to know JJ pretty well over the last several weeks and knew it could go one of two ways. One she would take the news well and agree to give it at least a trial run or two would order them out of her life permanently. Dave was well aware that the idea of a threesome or even a foursome was a very unusual concept in today's society and those that bent that way kept it to themselves. Yes, it was technically, against the law, but mostly the governments left those type of people alone so long as they caused no trouble, the children were taken care of and everybody was overage.

"That was wonderful," Emily told JJ sincerely.

"Yeah, it was," Dave agreed, kissing JJ on the cheek causing her to blush prettily, a rather usual event when she was around Dave who could turn her into a puddle of goo in five seconds flat.

Dave would rather have been kissing Jennifer on the lips, but knew that he couldn't afford to push things, so the cheek would have to do for now.

"Thank you," JJ said. "I don't get a chance to practice my skills often."

"I'll have to practice my cooking skills on you sometime," Dave revealed. "I've become quite a good cook if I do say so myself."

"He really has," Emily told JJ. "We could eat out every day for every meal if we wanted to, but that's not exactly very healthy. I can cook too, but I definitely can't do so as wonderfully as Dave, probably because, I don't enjoy doing it so as much as he does, so never bothered to refine my skill."

"But eating out is so expensive," JJ said.

"Still we could if we wanted to," Dave said. "Money isn't a problem trust me."

"I suppose not, considering that you're staying at the most expensive hotel in the area," JJ said, "and you've been there for at least the last month or so."

"There's no way that Dave will ever stay in a cheap hotel," Emily giggled

"Why should I?" Dave asked with the air of a snob causing both women to giggle.

"Well, I suppose if you don't mind spending the money, you shouldn't," JJ said thoughtfully.

"I don't mind, because I have many, many moneymaking investments," Dave told JJ.

"You sure don't act like you're rich," JJ said. "Really, you can't tell, except that both you and Emily wear expensive brand names and can stay in an expensive hotel for weeks and weeks and not feel the drain on your finances."

"Why should we put on airs?" Emily asked with a raised eyebrow. "That just makes people who want some of your money come out of the woodwork. No, it's better to live quietly and not make a big deal if you can buy the most expensive brand names on anything without having to worry about where your next meal is coming from."

"That's a point," JJ acknowledged. "A lot of people who inherit their wealth are so arrogant or at least that's what I've heard."

"Such people can be," Dave agreed calmly, sitting as close to JJ on the sofa as he could get, making sure their legs and shoulders touched.

"So are you going to tell me why you've gone to so much trouble to court me?" JJ asked finally with a raised eyebrow. "And don't play dumb with me and tell me that's not exactly what you've been doing," JJ added. "You, Dave, have made sure to touch me as often as possible, always making it seem accidental or at least as friendly instead of intimate. Not to mention you've taken me out to several nice restaurants and paid for everything I've bought on a shopping trip, even if that was through Emily. Now I want to know why. The truth!"

"Emily and I would never insult your intelligence by telling you that I haven't been courting you," Dave said, as calmly as possible, although there was nervousness in his eyes. "How much weirdness can you handle?"

"Well, that depends," JJ said eyeing both of them.

"On?" Dave asked.

"On whether I believe you're telling the truth or are just trying to snow me," JJ said, glad to see Dave chuckle and Emily laugh, so she hadn't offended them.

"We'd never lie to you," Emily promised, as she put an arm around JJ's waist. "Of course, I won't claim that what we're going to tell you isn't going to sound fantastic and even impossible, but I swear to you it's all true."

"Well, that's certainly a big build up," JJ laughed nervously.

"You wanted an honest answer about why I seem to be courting you," Dave said, as he also put an arm around JJ, as he was sitting on the other side with JJ in the middle.

"Yes, and that question's been driving me batty for the last week, because that was when I realized that you were courting me in the very old fashioned sense of the term, even if Emily was always there and even if it was very, very subtle."

"Well, we had to be because Chula Vista isn't that big of a place," Dave said. "We didn't want to cause people to talk, because it's obvious that Emily I are involved considering you can tell she's pregnant now, so we had to be subtle about it, make it appear that it was just friendship between us and knew you were intelligent enough to pick up on it."

"Well, yes, there is that," JJ said a little uncomfortably. "While I appreciate you not wanting to ruin my reputation in this town I want to know why, because as you said it's clear that you and Emily are involved considering as you said she's pregnant."

"Have you ever heard of polygyny?" asked Dave gently.

"Isn't that where men take several wives," JJ said.

"Well, kind of," Dave said trying to look relaxed. "It's where a man has several women all who live together, but the main thing that connects them is the fact that they all have a intimate relationship with the man involved."

JJ winkled her eyebrows in thought. "But I wouldn't think that would work very well. At least one of the women involved is bound to get jealous."

"See that's the thing, there has to be trust and respect on all sides," Dave explained making sure to keep touching JJ intimately as he was talking.

"Alright, my question becomes who does that anymore and why would they want to?" JJ asked, feeling very confused.

"There are many reasons people still do it, even if they don't legally tie the knot," Dave said. "Companionship, love, sharing resources, but in Emily's and in our case we have a totally different reason for me courting you as you put it."

"What reason could you possibly have?" JJ asked. "I mean you have Emily and she's obviously very pregnant, so why would you need anybody else?"

"Well, this is where it gets really weird and strange, but we swear it's all true," Dave said. "Emily and I are going to tell you a fantastic story and we want you to listen until we're done then you can ask as many questions as you want to and we'll answer everything honestly."

"Alright," JJ said, as she prepared herself to listen.

"There was once a people who believed in Ilithyia, a minor goddess, of the Greek pantheon along with a whole bunch of minor gods," Emily began. "Ilithyia looked down on her people and was pleased that they were productive and happy in their lives. Her people worked hard from dawn to dusk, but were content with what they managed to get from the earth and their very simple lives, where they didn't believe in luxury and in working for everything they had."

"Then a terrible sickness struck," Dave continued, "The people that Ilithyia was responsible for started dropping like flies. This distressed the goddess, so much that she decided to grant her people Immortality."

"By this time so many of the people were dead, men, women and children that it was a rather desperate situation, as it wouldn't be long before everybody she was responsible for was dead. She took the ones that remained and told them that she was going to grant them a special gift," Emily continued. "They would be Immortal from now on, although they could still die, they wouldn't age from the time they reached 30, they would be much harder to kill and they would heal fast from anything short of a death wound. Like if they had an artery rupture for some reason and they bled out before the healing factor had a chance to take hold."

"To do so though she was going to have to limit the number of children they were able to have, as such a great gift also required some sort of sacrifice. However, she said because she was doing this, each of them would have at least one mate, someone they knew that they could spend centuries with and be happier then being alone or always having temporary relationships. This mate would be like half the Immortal's soul and they would be unhappy if they died or were never found. There would be a few Immortals over the years that would have more than one, Immortals that Ilithyia considered worthy of such an honor, which would be few and far between. If one of their soulmates just happened to be mortal at the time, then they'd have the capability of turning them into what they themselves were." Dave continued.

"For this great boon though, any Immortal would have to put a lot of work into finding them, because if it became too easy then it wouldn't be worth it and make them become arrogant in the wrong way. Or it might make them treat your other half not as well as you could, because you wouldn't have worked on finding them and instead he or she would have been handed to you on a silver platter," Emily continued.

"There were only a few ways that you could lose your Immortality, as you would prove yourself unworthy of such a great gift," Dave continued. "To murder someone not to protect yourself or an innocent, but just because you could or because that person had something you wanted was one way as Ilithyia and the other gods the Immortals believed in take a dim view of such actions. Raping or physically torturing someone are two more."

"The gods of course, give you a chance to repent your actions, but if you do not then you have proven yourself unworthy of receiving such a great boon and therefore, your Immortality is removed from you where you start to age normally and this drives most Immortals it happens to insane, to where they take their lives or perhaps, end up in an institution, being thought of as crazy," Emily finished.

JJ absorbed what she had been told and was trying to tell herself that it just wasn't possible. Such things as Immortals and gods didn't exist in the real world, but on the other hand, religion had been around forever, probably as long as human beings had and who was to say that other gods hadn't existed at one point in time.

"Can you prove it?" JJ suggested finally, as she got up from where she was sitting between Dave and Emily, as Dave in particular, had way too much affect on her when he was touching her so intimately. On purpose, JJ knew, not sure how she felt about that.

"Of course," Dave said trying to look calm and in control. "If you get me a knife from the kitchen and make sure you bring lots of paper towels, as we are going to need them, I'll give you a demonstration."

"I would do it too, but that's not a good idea with me pregnant," Emily told JJ who nodded.

"Alright then, if you'll wait here I'll go get the items you need," JJ said, turning to leave.

"I hope you're not going to go call the police on us," Emily joked.

"I hadn't even considered that," JJ said seriously, "but no, I don't plan to call the police on you, because you haven't done anything so far that would make me do so."

Once JJ had disappeared in the direction of the kitchen Dave looked at Emily who looked just as worried.

"We are both worried," Emily said softly. "She's taking our story far to calmly. On the other hand, everybody is different at how they react to things."

"Still, I expected anger, furiousness of mega proportions at some point or at least total disbelief," Dave said and Emily nodded.

"Yeah, me too," Emily agreed, speaking softly. "We did just tell her a true, but rather super fantastic story after all. I could definitely understand her reaction if she orders us out of her life, because it is rather hard to believe. I suspect she's probably in shock."

"Well, whatever happens, happens," Dave said softly, philosophically, though he looked sad. "If she orders us to go away we'll do so, no matter how much it hurts both of us."

"But especially you," Emily responded, then fell silent, because at that moment JJ came back into the living room.

"Here are the items you requested," JJ said her voice to calm, but her baby blue eyes were whirling with unfathomable emotions.

"We know the story we told you sounds rather fantastic," Emily told JJ.

"Yes, we do," Dave agreed with a deep pain in his brown eyes and JJ who stared at him could tell that he did not hold out much hope of her accepting his and Emily story and that pained him deeply.

JJ watched, as Dave put down quite a few paper towels from the roll that JJ had brought then took the knife from Emily. Dave took a deep breath and then slashed the knife deeply across his palm and also down his wrist. Blood started pouring immediately out of the deep wound and Emily handed him a few paper towels to staunch the flow.

"My goodness," JJ exclaimed rushed forward. "I had no idea what you had in mind when you suggested the knife and the paper towels. We need to get you to the emergency room."

"No, we don't," Emily said calmly, as she watched Dave remove the paper towels that were covered in blood from his hand and his wrist. JJ gasped in amazement, as she watched as the wound healed rapidly right before her eyes. The blood slowed, the wound scabbed over, then there was no more than a scar and then even the scar disappeared.

"Impossible," JJ exclaimed startled.

"No, it's not," Dave said calmly, as he wiped the blood that was drying rapidly from his former wounds. "We knew you didn't really believe what we were telling you, which is understandable, as today's world is based more on what you can see and touch instead of belief in what today would be considered the supernatural, which isn't always visible in the real world."

"Today's world is based on science, on things you can see and touch, not on things that require belief without seeing," Emily said.

"So if I understand your story right you're saying that I'm your mate along with Emily," JJ said, with disbelief in her eyes, tone of voice and in every nuance of her body.

"Yes, and Emily and I searched a very long time to find you," Dave said, sitting down feeling suddenly very tired, as if the energy had just leaked out of his body and disappeared like water down a drain. "We knew you were somewhere in the States, but until fairly recently we didn't know precisely where, so we've been searching for you for the last 15 years, as that was when we got our first hint."

"15 years," JJ blinked in astonishment. "You've been searching for me precisely for 15 years?"

"We know how hard it is to believe," Dave said. "As we said the world just isn't geared towards the paranormal anymore. The world has advanced quite a bit in the last 600 years."

"600 years?" JJ asked astonished at that number.

Nobody lived for 600 years, but then nobody healed from a very serious wound almost in the blink of an eye either and she had seen that with her own eyes. The bloody paper towels were still balled up in Dave's hand, so wasn't like she could believe she had imagined what she had seen.

"Yes, Jennifer, 600 years," Dave said sounding tired. "Emily and I have known ever since we were kids that I was one of the few that would have more than one mate. So really, we've been looking for you ever since we left home after we had grown up. We were aware that the chances were slim that a mortal was going to accept what she was told, after technology and science started to take the place of faith and belief. If you had been born say 400 years ago you probably wouldn't have as much trouble with what you were being told, but even then technology and science were on the rise, as mortals struggled to make their lives easier. Back when Emily and I were born, practically at the same time, human beings had already advanced so much from when our parents and grandparents were born."

"But how can I be your mate?" JJ asked disbelief. "I mean I'm hardly as beautiful as Emily is."

Dave looked at JJ in disbelief and shook his head. "Do you really believe that's a requirement? You think, because you believe, you're not as beautiful as Emily that you don't fit the bill to be my mate? Jennifer you're very beautiful woman, even if I now see that you don't believe you are, but even if you weren't, being beautiful is not a requirement for being an Immortal's mate. Hell, even being the opposite sex isn't a requirement."

JJ looked startled at that last piece of information, because it wasn't something that had occurred to her. Apparently mates could be the same sex and be accepted as just a regular couple at least among Immortals.

"We know that three people or more are hardly accepted in today's society and we wouldn't be able to legally marry, all of us together, under the current laws," Emily added gently when she saw that Dave was at a loss for words temporarily, a rather unusual event.

"But I'm not Immortal so how can I be your mate?" JJ asked still trying to absorb what she was learning.

"I guess you didn't catch the part in our story how it was possible to turn a mortal into a Immortal," Dave said wearily. "I'm not going to go into how that's possible right this minute, as there's no need to unless you accept being my mate. There's no point of giving you certain details at all, unless you at least agree to give a relationship a try, although if you ask I'll tell you or Emily will as we did promise to never lie to you."

"Oh, yeah," JJ said looking embarrassed.

"We know we're kind of throwing this at you, but there was really no gentle way that we could have let you in on why Dave has been courting you," Emily said.

"And you're really okay with Dave taking another woman as a mate," JJ said with a little hesitation at the unfamiliar word looking directly at Emily.

"Yes, I'm really okay with it," Emily answered immediately with a genuine smile. "I feel a kind of blankness, an emptiness in my soul that would be the link to you through Dave. See Dave and I are connected by our bond, he feels an emptiness, that is the place in his soul for his second soulmate and because of that so do I."

"So I wouldn't be expected to have sex with you to," JJ said looking relieved.

"No, just with Dave, because I don't swing that way and it's not required. No, it's Dave that has more than one mate, so although I can feel that emptiness in my soul, that's due to my bond with Dave, which will go away once you and him get together sexually. If you refuse his offer then that emptiness will remain and there's nothing I can do to fill that spot. I gave you signals that told you that I wouldn't mind if you did get involved with Dave and I meant those. To tell you the truth, it'll be nice to have a sister, someone I can talk to about anything, no matter how strange or weird. I haven't had a close friend for about 200 years and the last one was mortal. You don't find somebody every day that believes in the paranormal and the supernatural, who is also trustworthy and not crazy or delusional. Bernard, was one of those people that is only born once every few generations. He was kind, loyal, compassionate, steadfast and believed in things most people scoffed at, even back then."

"Well, that's good then," JJ said still thinking rapidly.

"We know this is a lot to take in," Dave said his voice startling JJ who had thought he was asleep. "If you order me and Emily out of your life permanently then we'll leave, so long as we believe you mean it. Of course, if it is said in anger, disbelief or we don't believe you deeply, truly mean your words then we'll likely stick around, for awhile anyway. Even if we leave though you can always contact us over email or the phone and if you wanted us to come back you'd just say the word and we'd be here soon as we could."

"So you're saying that if I kick you out that you'll come back if I want you to," JJ blinked, as she hadn't expected that.

"The offer is open ended, that doesn't end if you decide to kick us out of your life and then change your mind. With today's technology of phones and computers it's very easy to keep in contact, even if someone is several thousand miles away. It was much harder to keep in contact before the invention of computers, which didn't exist before the late 20th century and the internet wasn't developed until the 1980s," Dave said.

"Yes, that's true enough," JJ admitted.

"You're welcome to contact us at anytime," Dave added.

"You sound like you're giving up," JJ said. "I didn't take you for quitter."

"I'm just being realistic," Dave shrugged who couldn't prevent the sadness from crossing his face at what he believed he had lost. "Its not the usual thing to find somebody like Emily's friend Bernard, who believed in strange and unusual things and believed Emily when she told him she and I were Immortal."

"You shouldn't give up before you're sure I'm going to reject you," JJ gently chided Dave. "You made me fall in love with you, but I'm not sure I could accept a relationship with you and Emily both, even if I you're the only one I'll be having sex with. Woman can to be very territorial about their man and I'm not sure I could not be jealous Emily when she was spending time alone with you, as after all, she has a history with you while I don't."

"While this is true it's not like Emily and I can help having a history as we grew up together, but you shouldn't let that affect your decision, because soon you'll have a history with me to," Dave said. "All I'm asking if you give a relationship a try and I'll take our relationship as slow or as fast as you want. I'm honest enough to admit that going slow will be hard on my libido, just as it's been for the last few weeks, but I'll do so, because what you want is just as important as what I want. This isn't something I can force you into as you'd only resent or hate me if I did and any relationship needs to be built on absolute trust and respect. No, this is the type of situation that you have to go into of your own free will, just as Emily did once we were grown. Emily though, was Immortal like myself and she knew where her destiny lay, so it's not quite the same situation I know."

"Can I have a few days to think it over?" JJ asked a little tentatively.

"Of course," Dave agreed. "Take as long as you want, but make sure you contact one of us if you decide either way. If you do decide against it Emily and I will be leaving town immediately, but until then we'll be at the Grant."

"The most expensive hotel in Chula Vista," JJ said, shaking her head. "I can't imagine spending what you have on a hotel for even a single night, much less for the length that you've been staying in town."

"You could get used to it," Dave said, "but that's a discussion for another time, as I think we've given you enough to think about for one night."

"Yeah, probably," JJ agreed.

"I only hope you don't wake up in the morning and think this discussion was all a dream," Dave said seeming to almost be talking to himself. "Because I realize that what Emily and I have told you is fantastic and you might wake up in the morning thinking you dreamed it all."

"I hadn't thought of that," JJ admitted frowning. "I think in order to prevent that I'm going to leave the bloody paper towels on the floor. They will remind me that it actually happened and since nobody comes to my apartment, nobody will ever know they were there."

"That might work," Emily said speaking for the first time in awhile. "I just hope seeing them there doesn't shock you too much. Now, if we're done for tonight I'm going to take Dave back to the hotel, as he needs to sleep. He lost a lot of blood. I believe he nicked an artery on accident."

"You're lucky you didn't kill yourself if that's the case," JJ said frowning at Dave.

"It's only a minor artery not a major one, so I was in no danger of bleeding out," Dave assured JJ. "Besides, I didn't think a slash across the palm of my hand would be enough to convince you. Emily's right though, I need some sleep along with a hearty breakfast in the morning and then I'll be mostly back to myself, though I'll likely tire out easily for the next few days."

"You need to stop being so careless with your own life," JJ chided him. "Losing all your blood or at least most of it is one way to kill an Immortal and I don't want you dead."

"Alright, so maybe I went a little overboard," Dave admitted sheepishly taking JJ's scolding with good grace.

"That's what you have me around for," Emily grinned at him. "Someone has to keep you in line."

Dave simply smiled totally exhausted, so he and Emily said goodbye to JJ and headed for their car. "You drive," Dave told Emily with a yawn.

"I was already going to, as there is no way I was letting you behind the wheel with as tired as you are."

"Probably a good idea," Dave admitted, as he got into the passenger seat, leaning his head back against the headrest.

Emily looked over at him and reached over to pull his seatbelt across his chest and buckle it, as he was already fast asleep before doing her own and then driving out of the parking lot heading for the Grant Hotel.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

When Dave woke up the next morning it was to the smell of coffee, bacon and eggs.

"How do you feel?" Emily asked.

"Better," Dave admitted. "I still feel a little weak, which is to be expected, but I'm not going to die on you I promise," Dave added in a joking tone.

"Of course not, but I still say you went overboard," Emily said rolling her eyes. "I only hope that we don't have to repeat your performance for our final mate."

"Well, that's for the future," Dave said. "There's no point of worrying about it right this second. I doubt that my third and final mate will be born for at least 100 years, if not more than that."

"True," Emily said. "I've ordered all your favorites from room service, bacon scrambled eggs, different types of breakfast pastries, waffles, toast with jam, fresh seasonal fruit, coffee, orange juice, ham, cinnamon rolls, and sausage links, instead of patties."

"Well, you just went all out didn't you," Dave smiled, though it wasn't as bright as it usually was, as he took a seat at the table that was laden in covered dishes.

"I thought you could use it to help replace that lost blood," Emily said. "We both know you'll get tired easily for the next few days, but other than that, there should be no effects."

"I know," Dave said. "I was well aware of what the effects would be before I did it."

"I know you're worried I am too, but that she didn't outright reject your offer is a positive sign I think," Emily encouraged, changing the subject. "I really believe if we give her a few days to think about it she'll probably end up accepting at least as far as it goes for dating openly. You have to admit that the thought of a threesome is unusual in this century and in fact, it hasn't been common in at least 500 years and never has been here in America, although it had been practiced, by the Church of Latter-Day Saints and several other groups."

"Believe me, I know the history," Dave said frowning. "I'm just afraid that Jennifer will be so repulsed by the idea that she'll reject my offer in the end."

"She didn't seem repulsed when we mentioned it to her," Emily commented.

"That's because she was in shock," Dave commented. "We loaded an awful lot onto her. The story we told her was fantastic and would make a good fantasy novel, even though it's the truth."

"Believe me, I'm aware," Emily said. "But both of us have worked hard to gain her trust and that might be the deciding factor in the end. As far she is aware we have been honest with her from the start and I think she would have called us on it if she had picked up any untruths."

"We have been honest with her," Dave told her.

"Yes, we have, but I was trying to look at it from JJ's point of view," Emily said and Dave nodded in understanding. "I'm not sure how good JJ is at picking up lies as some people can pick up the smallest lie while others can't and I'm not sure where JJ falls when it comes to that sort of thing."

"I think she doesn't trust easily due to what that stalker did to her before she moved here to Chula Vista. That stalker likely made her feel vulnerable and her trust in others has likely been severely dented," Dave suggested. "I believe that's why she doesn't have any really close friends here, just some girlfriends that she hangs out with sometimes. I believe, the only reason she trusted us so quickly is the connection we have, even though she likely doesn't realize it yet."

"Yeah, the connection practically sizzled when we first laid eyes on her," Emily mused grinning. "It sure did shock the hell out of both of us."

"That it did, but mostly because we weren't expecting it," Dave said. "She's only been living here three years so I doubt she's in the phonebook, though I suppose they could've issued a new one after she moved here."

"I checked while you were still sleeping, there is no Jennifer Jareau listed," Emily said and Dave nodded having suspected it.

"So all our efforts to find her would have been in vain, if we hadn't happened to run into her unexpectedly," Dave said.

"Well, we knew she was here and we would have stayed here until we found her," Emily said, "but still, it was made easier by us running into her at The Sin of Gluttony."

Both chuckled at the name of the Spanish restaurant, for it still amused them.

"Still, we lucked out," Dave said smiling, as he thought about Jennifer his second mate, who was very beautiful in her own right, even if she didn't believe so.

"Yeah, we did," Emily smiled knowing that Dave's thoughts were on JJ. She doubted that he was even tasting the food he was eating or would remember what he ate when he was done, because his thoughts were so far away.

"So, I want your opinion on how last night went," Dave said finally looking into Emily's eyes.

"I thought it went very well," Emily said honestly. "JJ didn't react like both of us thought she would, but then, I truly believe that she was deeply shocked. Also, she admitted that she had fallen in love with you and whether she allows those feelings to develop farther is going to be totally up to her. Right now, the love she has for you is probably very shallow, because she's only known you for a few weeks after all, but if she allows it those feelings can and will deepen, likely quickly."

"So you think maybe she'll allow me to openly court her?" Dave asked hopefully. "You know the drill, take her out for a romantic dinner with just the two of us, buy her expensive gifts, send her flowers."

"I can't really say," Emily admitted. "Unfortunately, I don't know her well enough to predict what she'll decide. Yes, we were starting to get to know each other and we could be considered close, but we really haven't known each other for very long. Now, the two of us can predict each other's behavior most of the time, but that's only because we've known each other for a very long time, but the same can't said for JJ."

"Unfortunately true," Dave sighed turning back to his breakfast. "I thought the same and you've just confirmed what I really already knew."

"I would say we have a 50-50 chance of it going the way we both want," Emily said. "Perhaps 40-60, but no more than that. All those hours we put in when into getting to know her and JJ getting to know us when she wasn't working, will likely be one of the deciding factors."

"If we don't hear from her in say two weeks then it's probably a lost cause," Dave said.

"I say you send her some flowers, it couldn't hurt and might help, because it will remind her of what we discussed," Emily said.

"That's a good idea," Dave said perking up. "I'll get on that right after breakfast."

"I think it's best if you just order them over the phone as you don't want to be showing too much interest in JJ, not in a city this size. We don't need people flapping their lips from those that have heard of the two strangers that have spent so much time in Chula Vista. Some have probably even seen us with JJ."

"Probably smart," Dave admitted. "People will talk and word will get around that a supposedly married man is showing a romantic interest in an unmarried woman. If this was some place like San Diego or San Francisco, then it wouldn't matter if I was seen sending flowers, because it would be assumed that they were for my wife or my girlfriend."

"Over 260,000 residents might seem big, but it's really not," Emily said.

"No, it's really not," Dave agreed. "I won't say that everybody knows everybody else, since 260,000 people is nothing to sneeze at, but still, word would get around and JJ's reputation would be in tatters for dating a married man."

"Which is why you kept it to the level of just friendship whenever we were out in public, even if you were subtly courting her at the same time," Emily said. "People still would have talked about the two strangers making friends with Jennifer Jareau, but not as much as they would if she was seemingly involved with someone who is obviously very married to me."

"Which is why we kept it low-key in the first place," Dave said finishing the last few bites of his breakfast. "There's nothing wrong with a local girl making friends with two people new to the city. Most people wouldn't think anything of it."

"We have to hope things will work out," Emily said, as she put a hand intimately over Dave's wrist, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I know it's going to be hard waiting for JJ to think about our conversation, but we need to give her time, as we don't want to push her into anything."

"I agree with you in principle anyway," Dave smiled, a smile that was tinged with sadness and worry.

"I think we need to stay in a hotel room today, as you still need to recover from the loss of blood, so I think taking it easy is just the ticket. I also think we need to avoid the restaurant where JJ works, as she doesn't need to see you right now or me either for that matter, but mostly you," Emily suggested.

"I know you're right, but not seeing her at all is going to make waiting even harder," Dave sighed. "I'll go make that call to the closest flower shop while you get a shower. I'll get one too after I finish ordering those roses for Jennifer."

"Sounds good," Emily said with a nod. "Just let me clean up and put the dishes outside the door before I get that shower."

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up," Dave said.

"You're welcome," Emily laughed. "It didn't work very well though,"

"Better than you think," Dave said winking at his mate. "I feel more positive than I did when I got up although I'm still worried of course. I can't guarantee I'll stay positive the longer that I don't see JJ or at least hear from her, but at the moment I don't feel too bad."

"Well, good," Emily said with false cheer, as she put the breakfast dishes outside the door, collected her bath things and a new outfit before heading for the ensuite bathroom, which was quite large and very comfortably appointed.

Dave watched her go and knew that Emily was just as worried as he was, but he did appreciate her efforts to cheer him up and take his mind off of Jennifer Jareau for at least a few minutes. Finally Dave rose and found a phonebook in the drawer of the nightstand, so he could look up flower shops.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

A week later

Emily and Dave rushed into Bayview Behavioral Health Hospital as they had been called. Apparently JJ had been attacked and beaten and she had requested their presences.

"May I help you?" asked a lady around 45 or so at the reception desk.

"Yes, we're looking for Jennifer Jareau?" Dave asked smiling charmingly hiding his worry. "Somebody called us at her request and told us that she had been attacked and beaten."

"Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Rossi," said the receptionist after checking her computer. "Ms. Jareau is in room 457."

"What is her condition?" Emily asked worriedly.

"She's very lucky actually," the receptionist said. "She has quite a few bruises and she'll definitely be sore for awhile, her muscles as well as her skin, but luckily, there's no broken bones, though she does have a couple of cracked ribs, and another couple that are badly bruised. It's going to be hard for her to move freely or with any type of ease for at least a week, but she managed to protect her head, so it's not as bad as it could be. I believe someone came and scared the guy off before he could do too much damage."

"So was it a mugging?" Dave asked, managing to keep the anger out of his voice. Whoever had done this to his mate was soon going to wind up very dead, this he swore and he didn't give a damn about his Immortality. He would track them down no matter how long it took.

"Our patient hasn't said, but that's a likely possibility," the receptionist said.

"We're lucky that this guy didn't have a knife, because while being beaten isn't pleasant if he'd had a knife JJ might very well be dead," Dave said

"Thank you," Emily told the receptionist. "We'll go see our friend now. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Emily added once they were relatively alone.

"Yes," Dave answered quietly. "Now is not the time to discuss it though, because there are cameras everywhere."

Both looked at each other and both knew what the other was thinking and in this case their thoughts ran along similar lines. Whoever had done this to JJ would be found and once they were they would be very dead. Absolutely no mercy would be shown, as people like that never did society any favors, as all they did was beat people up if they happened to be out at the wrong time and steal their money or other possessions.

The two remained silent until they reached JJ's hospital room where Dave gently knocked on the door and then entered, Emily following.

"How are you doing," Dave asked his worry obvious once he saw that JJ was awake instead of asleep.

"I'll live," JJ said.

"Of course you will," Emily said, as she fluffed the pillows behind JJ's back and head as the bed was reclined in angle so JJ could sit up.

"We were so worried when we heard," Dave said, as he gently took one of JJ's hands in his own and ran a finger up and down the back of it. It was an intimate gesture, but JJ simply stared at her lap instead of at Dave, almost in tears at the affection of the gesture.

"There's no need to be embarrassed, because what happened to you wasn't right by any stretch of the imagination, and it could've happen to anyone," Emily told her, guessing what JJ was feeling.

"No, it wasn't," Dave said. "Nobody should risk being attacked, just because they were walking to their car after work."

"I certainly didn't expect it," JJ admitted, finally looking into Dave's eyes and all she saw was worry with no hint of blame, but there was also guilt and she accurately guessed it was because he hadn't been there to protect her.

"Nobody expects to be mugged, but maybe you should invest in some pepper spray," Emily suggested. "Just in case, you know?"

"I probably should," JJ sighed. "I never imagined I would be attacked walking to my car. I mean this isn't New York. I'm not naïve enough to not know that there are evil people in the world who would do anything to get what they want, but this is Chula Vista not somewhere that has a lot of violence."

"Violence can be anywhere," Dave reminded JJ gently. "Yes, I admit that the odds were against that you'd be attacked somewhere like Chula Vista, but even a city this size has it's deviants and bad people."

"I realize that now," JJ said. "I'll simply be more careful in the future."

All three were silent for a few minutes and then JJ looked at Dave again. "Thank you for the flowers you sent me they were beautiful."

"You're quite welcome," Dave said warmly, as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze then added softly his voice tender. "I was hoping it would help you remember what happened that night, so that you wouldn't think it was a dream."

"They did help me," JJ said quietly, "but so did the bloody paper towels I left on the floor in my living room. Helped me remember that it hadn't been a dream. I've really been thinking this last week, which is probably why I was so distracted."

"You shouldn't be distracted, especially if you're leaving someplace late at night," Emily scolded her gently. "You're more likely to be mugged at night then you are in the daytime although it happens then to, just not as often, as there is too much chance of someone seeing whoever did it."

"Do you think you could describe the man who mugged you?" asked Dave, not letting the fact that he intended to hunt this man down and end his life for what he had done to Jennifer be known.

"I already told the police all I could," JJ said, not at all suspicious. "I really didn't see much. I believe he had red hair, a thin nose, high cheekbones and was short and skinny, probably no more than 5'3' or 5'4'."

"That's short for a man," Emily said.

"Yes, it is, but still, possible," Dave said. "After all, they have some really tall women as well and their average height is around 5'5' or 5'6'. Hopefully, the police will catch him."

Although not before I do, Dave thought determined. If I have my way all the police will find will be a corpse.

"I only saw that much because he attacked me in the parking lot, which is well lighted and the only thing that saved me from worse injuries is someone else coming out the restaurant. I think they shouted and scared the guy away before he could do worse," JJ said.

"Well, Emily and I will be grateful for the good Samaritan then," Dave said lightly. "Emily and I would like for you to come stay with us while you heal. We have an extra room at the Grant and you can sleep there. It's been unused."

"Well, I don't know..." JJ said. She really wanted to take Dave up on his offer, but on the other hand, she didn't need to be around Dave too much until she reached a decision, which she had been thinking about constantly ever since Dave and Emily had revealed their Immortality.

"Stay with us," Emily pleaded. "Both Dave and I will only worry about you alone in your apartment after what happened and I promise you that neither of us will be able to relax as we won't know if you are safe or not."

"Stay with us at least until you can move around more freely," Dave offered. "It shouldn't be more than a few days maybe five or six. Right now, it's not like you can defend yourself from an attacker with the way you're going to hobble around for awhile and your cracked and bruised ribs don't help. Once the hospital allows you to leave you're not going to be able walk very fast, especially run if needed. I doubt the mugger will come after you, but it's better to be safe, you know?"

"I doubt you'll feel safe in your apartment for awhile anyway, in being alone," Emily added. "Your personal space has been violated and it's going to take you awhile to get over that violation. Having the support of two good friends at least will only help with that."

"I promise to make no sexual advances on you unless you indicate that you want me to," Dave promised softly giving her hand to squeeze to confirm his promise. "But I'll certainly sleep better if I know you're close by."

The puppy dog look Dave gave her made JJ cave instantly.

"Well, okay," JJ decided not sure if the decision was made because she'd really missed Dave the last week or because she really would feel unsafe in her apartment, by herself. She was touched at how much both Dave and Emily cared about her, but she still wasn't sure if she would be willing to share Dave with Emily, even if Emily was with her. Maybe she could get a better grip on sharing Dave with Emily if she spent more time around both of them. She had really been thinking this last week that she'd at least like to give it a try and see if she got jealous when Dave showed Emily affection or vice versa. See if Emily was really okay with having to share Dave before she made any definite decisions. Of course, Emily had known since the beginning that Dave was going to court her and had known that Dave had a second soulmate for a long time. But there was a difference in knowing that Dave had more than one soulmate and in actually meeting that other woman, watching Dave show her open affection.

"Good," Dave said pleased, relaxing, which clued JJ into the fact that her staying at the hotel with the two of them really mattered to Dave at least and likely Emily as well. "We'll answer any question you have, while we spend the next few days together."

"I have plenty of questions," JJ said and that both Dave and Emily seemed to expect her to.

"We figured you would," Emily said, as she gently ran a hand through JJ's hair. "I would certainly have plenty of questions if I had been told such a fantastic tale."

"I haven't seen you at the restaurant for the last week," JJ questioned.

"We were trying to give you the space you needed to think about my offer," Dave told her softly, with a tender look in his eyes. "Both Emily and I thought it was best that we had no contact at least for a few days. The one thing I know very well is that I exude a sexual vibe that is so strong that it's practically visible. This isn't deliberate on my part, it just has to do with who I am. We wanted to give you space to think without me around exuding that vibe."

"We've run across people that have the same sort of vibe but it's usually not as strong," said Emily. "It has to do with being supremely confident in yourself, your sexuality and your abilities. People like that have no doubt about their attractiveness to either the male or the female of the species and it shows up in their demeanor."

"I often have women just staring at me practically drooling," Dave said with annoyance in his tone. "Others try to get my attention or to drape themselves all over me depending on the person."

"Yeah, it really does happen far too often," Emily giggled. "I suppose you would call it charisma."

JJ giggled, as Dave and Emily described what happened far too often, which she was sure had been their intent in the first place. She was able to imagine what the two of them were describing very well, because she had felt those vibes herself and done her best to ignore them at first. At least until she had realized that Dave was very subtly courting her. She wouldn't mind being in a relationship with Dave, but the question was could she share him with anyone else in a romantic and sexual way?

"I'll go talk to the doctors and see when you can leave," Emily said.

"This is really going to put a dent in my savings," JJ sighed. "It doesn't matter I had a good job before I moved here and I've always been careful with my money."

"Don't worry about that, I'll take care of it," Dave said his tone serious.

"You don't have to do that," JJ begin to protest.

"I was already planning to," Dave told her. "It's like me paying for those clothes you bought when you went on that shopping trip with Emily. You're my mate, just as Emily is and while I know you're very independent and haven't actually agreed to give a relationship between us a try this is still something I feel strongly about. You were attacked while distracted thinking about what Emily and I had told you, so that makes both of us responsible in some fashion."

"No, it doesn't," JJ protested.

Dave gave her a look and JJ fell silent. "We'll discuss anything else later as there are to many doctors and nurses coming in and out all the time, not to mention the possibility of a hidden camera."

"Alright," JJ said knowing that no matter how much he protested Dave was going to do what he wanted. It was sweet of him to insist on paying her hospital bill and probably for any medications that she had to take to help with the pain. Dave was such a sweet, unpretentious guy despite the fact that he was apparently around 600 years old and probably richer then Midas. He didn't put on airs like so many rich young men or even women did. No, you would never know he was rich unless you saw his credit card, which was a Chase Freedom Unlimited and JJ knew he also had a Chase Sapphire Preferred card as well. Combining the two was a really good idea as you got mega bonus points on things like travel hotels and so forth. You used the Chase Sapphire Preferred for traveling and dining and the Chase Freedom for everything else. JJ assumed that he and Emily did a lot of traveling so both cards would really get a work out. She could be part of that, but only if she could accept another woman would have Dave's attention some of the time and while she and Emily were becoming good friends she wasn't sure she wouldn't want to scratch the other woman eyes out for being intimate with her man. Besides, having one man with two women wasn't exactly considered normal JJ knew and she didn't want to be looked at with contempt or derision by others who knew of their relationship. These little details were going to have to be worked out before she would consent to any sort of relationship, something she couldn't believe that she was seriously considering, but she was. She had never actually imagined a scenario like this or that she would get married at all after what had happened with her former boyfriend, as he had frightened her off men romantically for the last three years after all. That had been his intent JJ knew, as her former boyfriend had gotten very possessive towards the end of their relationship and when she had broken it off he had started to stalk her. He had pleaded with her to take him back, sending her flowers and other gifts, but when she had refused and told him she was going to call the cops he had beaten her within an inch of her life, even using a knife on her. He had damaged her womb and the doctors were unsure if it would heal enough to allow her to have children.

He had been arrested, but by then the damage was done. The fact, that he might not be able to have children was something she needed to reveal before she even considered a serious relationship with both Dave and Emily, even if the one with Emily was going to be entirely platonic. She didn't believe Dave would care since she was apparently one of his soulmates after all, but still, she couldn't keep the news from him and she'd let him decide whether he wanted a relationship with her after that.

That was for later though, as she wasn't quite ready to talk about it, as she knew there would be tears of mega proportions when she did and she was already hurting enough from being mugged.

"Good, because you won't talk me out of it. I have more than I'll ever spend I promise you and Emily does as well in a separate account. If you accept being my mate you will as well, as I can either teach you how to invest or make investments for you," Dave told her. "We'll get into the rest of the rules later, as there is no point of burdening you right now, when you've just been through such a horrible ordeal."

"I'll be interested once we have more privacy," JJ promised. "Me having to be careful when I move around doesn't prevent me from listening."

"If that's what you want," Dave agreed. "Let's spring you from this joint first though."

"And I'm ready to go," JJ said. "Hopefully, the doctors won't keep me overnight."

"They probably will just for observation," Dave said.

JJ groaned theatrically knowing that Dave was likely right.

"Yeah, I know an overnight stay in the hospital is no fun," Dave said seeming to know the reason that she groaned, so dramatically. "Or at least that's what I've heard, though its never happened to me because Immortals heal so fast."

"Now there would be useful talent," JJ said just as softly as Dave.

"It does come in handy," Dave laughed softly, just as Emily came back with the doctor.

"We'll young lady, I hear you want to leave us so soon," the doctor joked.

"Sorry, but hospitals are not my favorite places," JJ told the doctor bluntly. "I've spent too much time in them."

"So I see," the doctor said looking in JJ's records from the hospital she had been admitted to where she had been living before moving to Chula Vista. "Well, I suppose I can release you into your friends care. Mrs. Rossi has promised to help look after you, but I want you to come back if you have any problems, dizziness, blank spots of time that sort of thing. Only because you protected your head is the only reason you don't have a concussion."

"Thank you Dr.," JJ said smiling brilliantly.

"I need to see you again in two weeks as your ribs should be partially healed by then or you need to make an appointment with your local doctor so that he can check to make sure your ribs are healing properly," the doctor added.

"I'll make an appointment with my regular doctor," JJ promised.

"We'll make sure she does," Emily promised the kindly doctor.

"Alright then, I'll see about your discharge papers," The doctor agreed. "It shouldn't be anymore than half an hour or so. There will also be a prescription of pain pills that I'm going to suggest that you can take. You don't have to have it filled, but it will help with the pain and likely also make you very sleepy, but then you should be resting as much as possible for the next week at least."

"Thank you so much for looking after JJ, doctor," Dave said. "She's really been a good friend to us while we've been in town and we really appreciate your care."

"Think nothing of it," The doctor said smiling, as he left to see about those discharge papers for JJ.

"Well, thank goodness, he's not going to keep me overnight," JJ sighed, as she snuggled back against the piled pillows.

"Yeah, I know hospitals aren't exactly most peoples favorite places," Emily agreed.

"When we get back to the hotel we'll have a late lunch, and then you can take a nap," Dave told JJ smiling. "There're plenty of things to entertain you in the hotel suite and I don't think you need to be leaving it for at least a few days."

"I'll need to call into work," JJ said worrying her bottom lip. "Take at least the next week off."

"You probably need to take at least two, preferably three off as your ribs aren't going to appreciate you standing on your feet for hours," Emily said. "In fact, I would just take the next month off, or at least until the doctor gives you the go-ahead to go back to work."

"I can't afford to take that much time off," JJ protested.

"You have to look after your health," Dave told JJ sternly. "All your expenses will be taken care of for the foreseeable future and I'll accept no argument on it."

The look that Dave gave her made the protest die in JJ's throat before it could be voiced, because she could see that Dave was serious and that Emily was nodding in agreement meant her fate was sealed.

A nurse came back with her discharge papers just then and JJ signed them.

"Try not to visit us again," the nurse told JJ. "You're lucky your injuries weren't worse."

"Believe me, I am aware," JJ told the nurse.

"Well, good, because it means you'll be more careful in the future particularly at night," The nurse said smiling.

"Believe me, I will be," JJ said fervently.

"Well, why don't you get dressed in the bathroom," Emily suggested. "Or Dave can wait outside if you want to get dressed here."

"I'll wait outside," Dave decided. "Take your time getting dressed, as you don't need to put a strain on your bruises and especially on your ribs."

"Sound advice," the nurse told JJ seeing how the couple genuinely cared for their friend.

"I'll take my time," JJ promised. "I don't think I can move very fast right now anyway, as my bruises have bruises."

"You were damn lucky," Dave told JJ seriously. "Damn lucky, it wasn't worse. You sure scared the life out of Emily and me, unintentional as it was."

JJ tried not to cry, because she knew that doing so would hurt her ribs at the genuine concern and caring in Dave's voice. It was just beginning to penetrate her brain that Dave truly did more than simply care for her, he loved her, her Jennifer Jareau, who had lost both her parents in a car accident when she had been 15 and had gone to live with her aunt in another state and to finish her last three years of high school and where she had made no close friends. She hadn't actually had any close friends since her parents had died and she had moved to Texas to live with her aunt. Her aunt however had died about five years ago, so she had had no one since. She had begun to think that she would never get married have a family and while having children might not be possible due to what happened with her former boyfriend, she could still be very happy with Dave. Besides, any children that Emily had she would treat like her own anyway, so it didn't matter so much.

This was going to be something that the three of them were going to have to discuss when they were alone, but for now she was only happy that both of them were here.

"I'll help her get dressed," Emily offered. "You shoo," Emily added looking at Dave who nodded.

"I'll make myself scarce," Dave agreed, as he left JJ's hospital room.

"Smart man," the nurse murmured, as she watched Dave leave unable to prevent herself from admiring him from the rear, as he really was a handsome specimen of a man, but unfortunately, like so many handsome men, he was already married.

Which was a shame, but just her luck, the nurse mentally sighed, before leaving herself.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

"Well, you're certainly looking a little better," Dave said, as he studied JJ, as she and Emily entered the hotel suite that Dave had gotten at the Grant.

"I have a hair appointment, so I'll see you when I get back," Emily told the pair, immediately leaving leaving before either could even acknowledge her.

"I'm still in a lot of pain," JJ admitted after waving goodbye to Emily, "but then that's to be expected, I know."

"Yeah, I know," Dave said sympathetically. "It'll probably be at least a week before you can move around without pain every time you take a step. Your ribs are taped I know, but that doesn't mean you don't need to be careful, as you're still going to experience sharp jabs of pain every time you do something they don't like."

"I know I've had broken ribs once before and I well remember the pain I was in for weeks afterwards. I was really hoping I would never experience such a thing again," JJ said when a sharp pain shot though her body when she moved wrong.

"You'll have to tell me about that sometime," Dave said, "but I won't push, I promise."

"I appreciate it," JJ said, as she kissed his cheek causing him to beam at her happily. "You were right you know, I doubt I could have relaxed in my apartment by myself, as even going there to get clothes for some reason terrified me, which is strange because that's not where I was attacked."

"Yes, but you were attacked viciously in a public place and that often causes fear, fear of being alone, sometimes for months afterwards. People who were attacked like you often jump at shadows for the first few weeks after such an attack at least. You might've been fine after a few weeks, but Emily and I just thought it was better that you didn't go back to your apartment by yourself, at least until you've healed anyway. I doubt you would have slept very well at all in your apartment as ordinary sounds tend to be more amplified at night and someone who just went through what you did is going to be more hyperaware of even normal night noises.

"You know the sounds I'm talking about an owl hooting for example, of cars on the street, of people talking and laughing, ordinary sounds would likely have made you jump, since apartment walls can be notoriously thin. You likely would have thought you heard somebody approaching your door only to relax when they walked right past it just for example.

"The imagination is a powerful force JJ, it's what helps writers create great works, or helps people create movies or vid shows. If we didn't have a imagination, well, we would not have the things we have, not just movies, vids and books, but paintings and poetry. If Leonardo da Vinci for example had not had his immense talent and imagination we wouldn't have his paintings which are seen by millions of people all over the world yearly nor would he have become so famous, even though he's been dead for centuries.

"If we didn't have his papers for his inventions that weren't possible in the time he was born then we wouldn't have things like helicopters and airplanes. All I'm trying to say is that if you had stayed alone in your apartment that you would have put down every little sound to your mugger coming back to finish the job and you definitely wouldn't have gotten any rest," Dave explained gently. "You likely would have stayed awake all night, perhaps with a knife in your hand prepared to come at anyone that entered your sanctuary."

"Well, yes, that makes sense," JJ said considering Dave's words and realized that he was likely very right. She had been terrified to enter her apartment and if Emily hadn't been with her she probably would've fled instead of going to gather her toiletries and some clothes. Emily had kept her steady and helped her pack, which made it go much faster than if she had done it alone.

"It's just better if you have someone you trust with you for the next few weeks at least until you get over the worst of what happened to you. Given enough time you'll probably be able to go back to your apartment and even be comfortable there, but not directly after an attack such as you endured. Now, if you had any close friends in town besides Emily and I that you could go and stay with for a few days and then we wouldn't have offered to let you stay with us," Dave added and JJ nodded. "You just don't need to be alone after nearly being beaten to death in a parking lot outside your place of employment."

"Still, you didn't have to," JJ said. "And you definitely didn't have to pay my hospital bills."

"No, I didn't have to, but I wanted to," Dave told her in a firm tone.

"So you said," JJ sighed.

"Anything I have is yours just as it is Emily's," Dave told her. "Emily isn't one to usually break down, but it has happened a few times depending on circumstances. If she wants to tell you when it happened she can or she can tell me to, but I won't reveal it unless she gives me permission."

"Well, I'm glad to know you can keep a secret," JJ smiled.

"Of course I can, as I'm not the type to use what somebody has told me as blackmail material unless the it's a very unusual situation, but I would never do that to somebody I care about like you and Emily. You wouldn't be able to come to me when you needed to, because you would know that you couldn't trust me to not reveal what I'd been told. That is one thing I'll never do and that's lose your trust," Dave told her, as serious as JJ had ever seen him. "I'll never break my word to you either, not if it can be helped and that's a promise."

Keeping his word and also her and Emily's secrets was apparently very important to him, which told her that she really had a good man here and she'd be foolish not to at least give a relationship a try. The thing was though, that she hadn't been in a relationship in three years and it was kind of frightening at how intense her feelings for Dave were, mostly because she had never felt like this about anyone not even her former boyfriend.

"I would like to give a relationship a try," JJ told Dave seriously sure of her decision when Dave's entire face lit up

"You're sure now?" Dave asked. "I don't want to push you into anything or you feeling that you need to be grateful."

"It's not about that at all," JJ promised. "I've been seriously thinking about it almost constantly for the last week, but it was in my hospital room that it finally struck me that you really do love me, but not just love me, you care about me enough that you insisted paying my hospital bills and gave me a place to stay until I'm all healed up, even though you haven't known me very long. You and Emily rushed into my hospital room concerned about my well-being and I guarantee you that none of my former boyfriends would have done so had such a thing if a mugging had happened. Oh, they would have sent me flowers and even come to visit me for a few minutes but that would have been the extent of it. They definitely wouldn't have offered to pay my hospital bills, just so I wouldn't have to dip into my savings, as to them it would have been my problem not theirs, not even if they'd had the money to do so. People like you that are generous, kind, compassionate and genuinely care about other people not just themselves or maybe their families are few and far between, so I would be incredibly stupid to not at least give her relationship between us a try. Half the time the husband or the wife don't even care about their family or their children."

"Unfortunately, that's a true statement of the sorry state of affairs among mortals," Dave sighed, as he took JJ gently in his arms being careful of her numerous bruises.

"You're welcome to kiss me, but that's as far as going to go at least until I tell you some things about my past and I've healed up some," JJ said.

Dave did as JJ had almost ordered and their lips met in a kiss that was tender and sweet at first anyway, then the kiss seemed to explode into passionate longing that made them both want more.

Finally Dave broke away, but not without extreme difficulty.

"That was some kiss," JJ said finally feeling very weak in her entire body and she knew that if Dave hadn't been holding her she would have collapsed onto the thickly carpeted floor.

"Yeah, it was," Dave said his voice thicker then it had been previously.

"You didn't expect that did you," JJ asked, as she studied Dave's rather dazed look.

"No," Dave admitted. "It's been a long time since Emily and I first kissed and in fact, we were teenagers about 13 or 14 if I'm remembering right and I don't think our first kiss was quite so..."

"Explosive? Earthshattering?" JJ suggested

"Mindblowing," Dave suggested finally seeming to have recovered from his first kiss with JJ.

"That works too," JJ said mischievously. "There are some things I need to tell Emily and you before we take our relationship any farther, but after that if you still want to continue with it then I'm willing."

"There is nothing in heaven and earth that would make me not want to have you as my mate, as we are destined to be together as corny as I know that sounds," Dave told her being very serious making sure to touch her intimately, as he was talking. "It doesn't matter what you tell me you're mine now unless you tell me different. If you want to break off our relationship at any time I'll do so, but it's always going to be your decision. I don't care if you've had 10 different husbands in 10 different States, can't have children for some reason or have committed some kind of capital crime, as these kind of things are looked at very differently by Immortals who have been around for a very long time. The only crimes that would be considered major among Immortals are rape, murder, stealing, or torturing someone for your own gain and there are varying degrees of murdering and stealing depending on the circumstances behind them."

"Yeah, you said back when you were telling me you were Immortal that murdering in self-defense or to protect someone was acceptable," JJ said.

"Exactly," Dave said. "Stealing is basically the same concept. Ilithyia doesn't care if you steal from somebody who stole their money first or from a bad guy who got his fortune from killing people for example, but to steal it from someone who earned their money honestly or someone's life savings, well, that's a big no-no. Also since there is a bunch of other gods and goddess involved they don't want you to pollute, you know take sensible precautions to make sure wherever you're living stays clean, recycle and things like that. Each of them expect something different but it's mainly Ilithyia we need to worry about not making furious at us."

"Well, I do that anyway," JJ said. "I would love to own a car that doesn't pollute the atmosphere, but they're so expensive."

"I'll get you one, if we make our relationship permanent," Dave promised. "They are a relatively new technology where they don't run on gasoline, so I can understand why they're so expensive right now."

JJ was about to protest, but stopped herself, because she knew that Dave wouldn't stop spoiling her no matter what she said, so there was no point of arguing with him when she wouldn't win anyway.

"Good, you've already learned that I always get my way," Dave grinned. "Even Emily can't shift me when I want to do something like buy her something ultraexpensive, even when it's not our anniversary or her birthday or Christmas and she is one of the most stubborn people I've ever known. Secretly, I think she loves it when I surprise her with a gift."

"You're apparently twice as stubborn then she is if you always get your way," JJ teased him.

"Alright, she's the most stubborn female I've ever met then," Dave corrected. "I think she enjoys a good argument every once in awhile, which is fine with me, as there is always making up afterwards."

"I should have known you'd think of that," JJ laughed.

"And why not?" Dave asked with the mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "It certainly adds spice to our relationship. Most of our arguments are not very serious, as we know each other too well for that, so it's mostly in play."

"You mentioned you don't care about whether or not I can have children," JJ said Dave nodded waiting for his mate to continue. "I was going to wait until Emily got back from the beauty salon, but since you originally brought it up and you said you don't care I might not be able to have children."

"Is that what the doctor told you?" Dave asked his expression calm and understanding.

"No and I'm not there to tell you the full story until Emily gets back because I'm bound to breakdown and I don't want to go through it more than once, but it is one of the reasons I moved away from Virginia where I was living at the time," JJ said. "The doctors weren't absolutely sure, they just said it was a possibility."

"Well then, there's no point of worrying about it as what happens will happen. I can imagine how it happened very easily, so if you don't want to give me Emily details you don't have to, unless you just want to get it off your chest," Dave told her, as he held close being extremely gentle. "The transformation into an Immortal will likely repair the damage to your womb just so long as it hasn't been completely removed, so I wouldn't bet on not you being able to have children."

"Are you going to tell me how it's done?" JJ asked. "I can't really imagine how you turn someone Immortal, but then I've only known about Immortals for a little over a week, so that's not surprising."

"Are you sure you're ready for that information?" Dave asked still in that tender, gentle tone of voice that sent shivers of delight down JJ's spine and straight to her groin.

"It's not painful is it?" JJ asked a little apprehensively.

"Not at all," Dave assured her. "In fact, it's a very pleasurable experience."

JJ looked confused, so Dave elaborated.

"It has to do with a lot of sex," Dave begin to explain causing JJ to immediately flush a brilliant red.

"You're not serious," JJ questioned sure that Dave was playing a prank on her.

"Yes, I am," Dave promised her tenderly. "You see in order to turn you Immortal you need to absorb my energy, my lifeforce, my genetics. The only way to do this is for us to make love and for me to spurt my seed into you multiple times. It's a rather long process and I've been told it takes a year, but I have to spurt my seed into you at least once a day, as my semen carries those things I just mentioned. Eventually your body will absorb enough of it that you'll be completely Immortal just like I am. Whatever damage has been done to your womb should be repaired depending on what the problem is, but since the damage isn't something you were born with turning you Immortal will likely fix it. There're no guarantees though."

"You've given me hope and that's all anyone can do," JJ said kissing him fervently in thanks for giving her hope that she would indeed be able to have children. "I want to have your child Dave, not right away, but eventually."

"Hopefully, one day, you'll get your wish, as I would like nothing more than to have a child by you, even a whole platoon of them, but unfortunately, a female Immortal's fertility is such that the children tend to be nearly a century apart."

"You can only have one child every hundred years?" JJ asked shocked.

"Every 70 or 75 years, but essentially correct," Dave corrected. "Ilithyia, sure wasn't kidding when she said that Immortal females would have trouble conceiving. On the other hand, you can't expect such a great gift as Immortality to be free, as there has to be checks and balances in everything. Really, the world runs on checks and balances, essentially everything actually, even if you don't think about it that way. Why do you think we have the cops, the FBI, the national guard, the military the Coast Guard and every other law enforcement agency out there? We wouldn't have them if we didn't need them due to the number of people who are criminals or turn into criminals. You see checks and balances."

"Yes, I see," JJ said thoughtfully, even as she cuddled very comfortably into Dave's arms. "I never thought about it like that, but I doubt anybody does."

"Most people don't realize that we would have chaos if we did not have checks and balances," Dave said, "but yes, some people do things like that, particularly those in law enforcement."

"Well, even if I can only have one child every 70 years or so at least we'll be able to have them, probably in my case," JJ said.

"That's for the future," Dave said. "There is no need to rush into that particular aspect of our relationship, because for one thing you just got out of the hospital and you need time to heal. Just cuddling with you on the couch with you in my arms as we watch a vid is enough for me right now. There's not to say we can't do a little necking, but we need to take it easy until you heal up some, as I would not hurt you for anything in the world."

"What about Emily? Where is does come into this?" JJ asked.

"Well, she's welcome to join us on the couch if she wants and I can neck with both of you I promise or she can go do her own thing. Emily knows that I've been searching for you seriously for the last 15 years, but she will probably bow out of any activities until we get to know each other. Eventually we'll start doing things together, so that we become a cohesive unit. I suspect that Emily will probably take the guest bed the first time we have sex to give us privacy and depending on what you desire she can join us after that or we can save our lovemaking for in the morning or whenever we can fit it in. She knows right now you're my priority and she won't resent that I promise. Eventually you'll be comfortable enough to watch me and Emily make love and even participate if you like, but as I promised we'll take things slow until you are."

"You sure Emily isn't going to be jealous of me, another woman?" JJ asked.

"No," Dave said shaking his head negatively. "For one thing Emily has known this was coming for centuries and for another the bond once it's fully completed prevents jealousy."

"Well, that's certainly a new piece of information," JJ said surprised.

"I guess I didn't mention that, did I?" Dave said sheepishly. "Yes, once the bond is fully stabilized you won't be jealous of Emily or vice versa. Of course, if some other female comes onto me, which happens far too frequently, you'll want to tear their eyes out at least until the bond matures. This also works in reverse of course."

"We need to have a conversation about Immortality, but that can wait a few days at least," JJ said. "I want all the information you can give me, but right now I think we should just concentrate on the two of us."

"That is a concept that I can definitely get behind," Dave said smiling hugely, as he picked up JJ gently in his arms and carried her into the area of the suite where the vid screen was as there was a very comfortable couch there. "Do I have your permission to kiss you senseless, my lady?" Dave asked smiling down at her his dark brown eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Absolutely," JJ said eagerly, even as Dave placed her gently on the couch remembering how sore she was from being mugged.

"It will be a pleasure, gorgeous," Dave told her, as he sat down beside her, put both his arms around her and begin to explore her face and neck. His lips, teeth and tongue explored every inch of JJ's lovely, elegant neck, before moving upwards.

JJ groaned as Dave's warm, moist lips, made her feel things that she had never felt before. He was gentle, he was tender, he was kind and passionate, seeming to remember to always be careful because she had just been hurt.

Finally Dave pulled away, because he knew if he continued to kiss JJ like that, it would lead to lovemaking and his mate wasn't quite ready for that. Not only was she still sore from being beaten up, but also because she needed to get to know him better, even if she had agreed to be his provisionally, something that filled him with enormous joy and also relief.

"Wow!" JJ exclaimed finally when she came back from the world of bliss that Dave kisses had transported her to.

"There's plenty more where that came from," Dave promised her with a very satisfied grin, "but I thought it was a good idea to stop right now, because I can guarantee you if I hadn't I wouldn't have been able to stop taking it all the way. Now, while that day is coming and likely soon you're too sore for me to do what I really want to."

"No, we need to talk first," JJ said. "But in a few weeks I'll likely be ready."

"And that will also give you time to heal," Dave said. "I'm not saying we can't kiss like we were just doing we'll just have to be careful not to take it too far."

"A rather difficult concept," JJ said grinning rather goofily.

"Yeah, denying yourself something you really want is rather difficult," Dave chuckled. "I want to make your first time very special for you though, so I can wait until you're all healed up and you tell me you're ready. Emily will make herself scarce I suspect and I won't even have to say anything, because she's incredibly perceptive."

"I hate to leave Emily out though," JJ said, biting her lip.

"Emily will understand that I want it to be just you and me at least for your first time. I can't make love to both of you at the same time so each of you are going to have me just to yourselves occasionally. We'll do something together while Emily does something else and vice versa. This is really the way multiple relationships work, as I've seen it several times with other Immortals who have more than one mate. Individual time is important so that each person in the relationship doesn't feel neglected, but we'll also do plenty of things together. We'll share the same bed unless it's individual time or a special occasion like our anniversary."

"Yes, Emily and I will have separate anniversaries with the same man," JJ said giggling at that, because it seemed so ridiculous.

"It does seem rather strange," Dave said his amusement clear, seeming to be reading JJ's thoughts.

"Yes, it does," JJ agreed.

"All I'm asking from this point on is that you have no other relationships and unless you tell me that you don't want to continue ours. I'm asking for a monogamous relationship, for me to be your one and only," Dave requested.

"Shh!" JJ said placing a finger against Dave's lips. "You're the first man I've allowed to get close to me in three years. Ever since I ended up in the hospital due to my stalker, so you don't have to worry about me having any other man in my life other then as a friend. Really, I've been too afraid to risk dating and you got past all my barriers without trying."

"Good," Dave said satisfied. "I hope you're stalker got a life sentence," Dave added fiercely.

"He won't be getting out for a long time, as it turned, as he had done it to several other women. It's not quite a life sentence, but it's close to one and he'll either be a very old man when he gets out or die in prison."

"Good," Dave said sounding much calmer. "It's nothing less than he deserves not only for what he did to you, but to several other women. Any man who beats on a woman who can't defend herself deserves what they get. Of course, that includes a man beating on children, because young children truly are defenseless."

"Why don't we put on a vid as we wait for Emily to get back from her appointment?" JJ suggested, changing the subject.

"Sounds good," Dave said, as he cradled JJ in his arms. "I was so afraid that you would reject me out of hand."

"Yeah, I know, I could see the defeat in your eyes and in your posture when you told me that rather fantastic story and then proved it was real. I admit I was in shock as I'd never had anything strange or weird happen to me in my whole life," JJ said. "I wasn't sure what I was going to do, as I had fallen in love with you, but I wasn't positive it was the everlasting kind, not until you came into my hospital room so genuinely horrified by what had happened. You were truly concerned and worried about me and seeing that was what turned the corner for me. It made me realize that I did love you like that, loved you enough to last forever. Getting Emily as a sister is just a bonus, but definitely a very nice bonus."

"It was the fact, that I already had Emily that you were the most leery of," Dave predicted. "Society today is based off couples, man and woman getting married, having children. It's only since the late 20th century that same-sex couples become more mainstreamed, but still, there are only two people not three or more in a relationship. Some people still practice polygamy, seriously, but anybody who knows it mostly frowns on it at the very least."

"Yeah, I know and that's something I want to talk to you about," JJ said. "I don't want people to look at me as if I'm some kind of whore just because I'm involved with the same man that Emily is."

"There is nothing unusual with two or even three or more women living with the same man," Dave told JJ gently. "I mean just look at the show Three's Company for example, which was a show in the 20th century. The concept of the show was that there was two women living with the same man and millions of people watched it and thought there was nothing strange about it. We'll keep our private lives private and if one of you happen to get pregnant, well, it doesn't necessarily have to be me whose child it is. Only the people in the neighborhood in which we live might suspect that we are more than we seem, but total strangers when we are out and about together will never know unless we act as anything other than best friends. I could for example be married to one of you ladies depending on whose turn it was whenever we moved somewhere new and the other is simply a friend or some kind of relative that is staying with us."

"I hadn't thought of that," JJ said frowning in thought.

"Believe me, it's a game that Immortals who have more than one mate play in order to keep their lives private. Having more than one mate might not happen to often and in fact, it usually only happens once every few centuries to Immortals that Ilithyia has taken a special interest in, but still, it's common enough among our kind," Dave said. "I've never had to do the same before, because I've only had one mate before now. Of course, now that you've joined Emily and I it will be different and we'll perfect how we act over our centuries together."

"So we'll save any romantic stuff for the privacy of our home," JJ said.

"Mostly," Dave said, "but then there is nothing wrong with me kissing your cheek or if you're the one I'm supposedly married to I can kiss you on the lips in public and nobody will think anything of it. Of course, once we get home I'll have to give my other mate equal attention. Yes, I realize it's complicated, but it's still workable, as other Immortals have been doing it for centuries."

"Yes, I think it will work," JJ said finally. "As you said it's complicated, but anything that's worth doing is worth putting effort into. That's what my mama always said anyway."

"Definitely," Dave grinned. "I think I would have liked your mama."

"Yeah, I miss her," JJ sighed unsurprised that Dave had caught the way she had phrased the last sentence.

"If your parents were good ones of course, you miss them when they pass on," Dave said

"They didn't die of natural causes though, they died in car crash. I was just 15," JJ revealed. "If they had I'm it sure would be easier to get over their deaths, as I would have known that death was just the natural order of things."

"I'm sorry about your parents, but you'll always remember them and I'm sure they're watching you from heaven," Dave said.

"That's a nice thought," JJ sighed contentedly, as Dave begin to rub her back up under her shirt, in soothing circles. "That feels so good."

"I'll be happy to do this for you anytime," Dave told her. "I'm going to treat you like a queen just as I do Emily."

"I won't say no," JJ giggled snuggling deeper into Dave's shoulder. "What woman can resist a little spoiling?"

"I've never met one yet," Dave told her, just as JJ's breathing deepened and Dave knew she had fallen asleep. Dave readjusted his position and got more comfortable, making sure that JJ was also as comfortable as possible, before he to, holding JJ close to him, closed his eyes. He thought a little nap after the stress of the last week or so would do him a world of good.

A few minutes later he also was sound asleep.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Well, isn't this a rather sweet scene," Emily said smiling, as she came into the hotel suite.

Dave looked up at her and put a finger to his lips pointing JJ and Emily nodded not saying anything else, as she headed to her and Dave's room to drop off her packages.

"So, when did this happen?" Emily asked softly when she came back, as she sat on the other side of day, so as not just of JJ.

"About an hour ago," Dave said quietly once he had checked his watch. "JJ and I had a long conversation and some of it was very emotionally draining so she fell asleep on my shoulder."

"Well, at least it means she trusts you," Emily said still speaking softly.

"Yeah," Dave said grinning. "In fact, while you were gone she agreed to be mine, to join us. She said she had fallen in love with me and she had realized that I truly did care about her when you and I rushed into her hospital room. Before, she wasn't sure if I truly loved her, not in the way she needed. You can love someone, but it might not be enough to last a lifetime, much less an eternity. Our first kiss before she fell asleep was damn spectacular and I can't wait for a repeat," Dave added with a goofy grin.

"Congratulations," Emily said kissing him softly, without disturbing JJ who was sleeping across Dave's chest now.

"Thank you," Dave said. "Us making love the first time is going to have to wait until she's healed and I don't think JJ is quite ready for that emotionally or mentally. She loves me yes, but I think we need a chance to get to know each other much better before we get to that. With us it was different, we knew we would get married, that we were mates, almost from the time we were old enough to understand. In other words, we knew that we were meant to be from the time we were children, so having sex that first time wasn't that big a deal."

"It was still spectacular," Emily remembered with a fond grin. "The first time for both of us."

"Yeah, it was," Dave said, as he to grinned. "We were what 15 or 16?"

"16 I believe which was really quite late considering that a lot of people got married back then by the time they were 13 or 14," Emily said.

"Yes, but that's because back then you only had a limited number of years to have as many children as possible," Dave reminded Emily who nodded. "For female Immortals though, that's never been a problem, as you'll never get too old to have children."

"Which is a relief, because we've only had what about seven in the last 600 years?" Emily rhetorically.

"Yes, and this will be our eighth," Dave said, patting Emily's stomach gently. "As much as I wish that we could have a whole bunch of children running around, that's just a dream for us."

"Still, at least we can have them, even if they're 70 or 75 years apart," Emily said, "and that's much better than not being able to have any at all."

"Yeah, that's true," Dave agreed. "There wouldn't be very many Immortals if we couldn't have children, as they do get killed sometimes, so yes, we should be grateful and for myself at least I am."

"Well, you always had your priorities straight," Emily grinned.

"With you in my life how can I not?" Dave asked also smiling.

"You got that right," Emily teased him, still keeping her voice down.

"Here let me explain to you what I told JJ while she's still sleeping," Dave said softly.

"Okay," Emily said getting serious. She listened, as Dave told her what he and JJ had discussed.

"I think that sounds very sensible," Emily said finally. "We don't have to be together all the time, even if we are most of the time. Now that you found JJ yes, you'll need some private time with her alone and I understand that."

"The same will be true for you as well," Dave reminded her. "Before, it was just you and me, so there was no reason to do something like this and while we'll spend most of our time together that doesn't preclude me from spending time alone with JJ or time alone with you. A couple of hours ago me and JJ were talking all about checks and balances and I have no intention of letting either one of you feel unwanted, neglected or unloved just because I'm concentrating on one of you. It's going to be a juggling act and it's going to take a lot of practice, but it will be worth it."

"I can be patient because I can see you're right," Emily said. "You need to concentrate on JJ for right now and I'll stay out of the way."

"I think that we need to work on becoming a unit," Dave told her. "Do things together."

"I think that can wait until you and JJ start making love on a regular basis," Emily said. "I'm very glad that she decided to go along with us, because I've gotten very fond of her. In fact, if truth be known I love her, just not in the same way you do. I love her like I would a sister."

"I already knew that," Dave said. "You forgot that we know each other intimately, in every way that it's possible to know someone else, I just wasn't sure whether you had realized it or not."

"JJ is easy to love and from what you've told me she's had such shitty life, but she didn't allow it to break her," Emily said softly. "First her parents died when she's 15, then years later she dates a guy who ends up beating her nearly to death, possibly so badly, that she might never be able to have children. Such an attack severely bent at the very least her trust in men, as anything other than pals. That you were able to gain her trust so quickly, get past her guard tells me that her trust hasn't been completely broken or it would've taken much more effort, even if it was possible. Yes, we worked hard initially to gain her trust, but really that happened relatively quickly as she saw what a good person you especially were. Really, I expected it to take much longer, but that mugging she endured sealed the deal, because she realized that you had true, genuine feelings for her and it wasn't just lust or attraction. If it had been, your relationship never would have lasted very long and JJ would be well aware of that. I'm not sure she believed in the whole mate thing until then."

"Who can blame her?" Dave said, knowing Emily was right. He pulled JJ a little closer. "What we told her did sound straight out of a fantasy novel, so even though we proved Immortals were real that didn't mean the whole mate thing was, as we could've been lying about that part of it. We weren't of course, but she didn't know that."

"I'm thinking it's a good idea to get know her better before you take the next step, as not only has she been mugged, she's also very emotionally battered at the moment. That will heal with your love and both of our supports."

"Yes, it will and I agree with you," Dave said. "If I'm going to take her out on a date though, we're going have to go way from Chula Vista, somewhere like San Diego or San Francisco."

"Too far away unless you plan to be gone more than a day," Emily told him. "National City is the closest only 13 to 15 minutes away, but that's a little too close in my opinion as some of the residents of Chula Vista are bound to go there just to shop or for supplies and you might be seen by someone who knows her. I think Long Beach is your best bet as that's less then three hours away and still in the area. I would suggest Tijuana, as it's only an hour, but you need a passport, as it's in Mexico and I'm not sure JJ has one."

"Long Beach sounds fine as it's a fairly large city and certainly far enough away that we should be able to enjoy ourselves without running into anyone that JJ knows, unless we are extremely unlucky," Dave said. "We should be able to have lunch and dinner there, do some shopping, perhaps, see at least some of the sites."

"Yes, it'll be a full day, but you should able up to have JJ back by 9 or 10 o'clock, so long as you leave at a decent hour in the morning," Emily said. "When you do go I'll come with you until we get there and then we can separate. I don't need to stay in Chula Vista, because people would be bound to comment. If we all go, even if we separate once we get there then we're just three friends having a fun day if someone who knows us happens to spot the three of us."

"That's a very good idea," Dave agreed. "JJ and I can have our date in peace while you shop or something and we can meet up for lunch or dinner. I'm sure JJ will want to spend at least part of the day with you, as she wouldn't want you to feel left out."

"Well, I don't see why we can't have lunch together before we separate, as it will probably be about lunchtime by the time we get there depending on what time we leave," Emily said. "You can do the date thing after that."

"We'll talk about it with JJ when she wakes up, but I'm sure she won't object," Dave said, as he tenderly kissed the top of JJ's head.

Suddenly JJ shifted and showed definite signs of waking up, so Dave looked at Emily with a raised eyebrow and she nodded, disappearing into the kitchen.

Suddenly JJ blinked open her baby blue eyes. "Ugg! What time is it? How long did I sleep?"

"It's about four in the afternoon and you slept a couple of hours," Dave told her gently.

"I fell asleep on you and also drooled all over your shirt," JJ said embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. Shirts can to be washed and it's only a little spit," Dave told her, kissing her tenderly, softly. "It'll dry and you never would've known it was there."

"So what plans for the rest of the day?" Emily asked coming out of the kitchen. "Now that JJ has waking up from her nap."

"You should've woken me up when you got back," JJ scolded Emily and Dave.

"Why?" Emily asked with a raised eyebrow. "You needed the sleep according to Dave, as he filled me in on your conversation while you were resting. It's not like we have any plans and neither Dave or I will have you running yourself to exhaustion."

"Man, I really slept through an entire conversation?" JJ asked winkling her nose. "That's not like me, I must've really been out of it."

"We talked softly, so we didn't wake you," Dave told her gently. "I like having you sleep on my chest just so you know and I'm sure that it will be repeated a lot over our centuries together."

"Well, I'm too sore to really go anywhere, as it's only been a few days after all, but I don't see why we can't watch a vid as Dave suggested before I fell asleep on him," JJ said.

"And order room service," Emily said.

"Or order takeout depending on what we decide we want," Dave added.

"I say room service as the kitchen here is really good," JJ said.

"Yes, it is," Emily agreed. "We can eat takeout any time, but it's rare we get such good food from room service."

"Room service it is," Dave said without arguing because he happened to agree. "That can wait a little while though, so why don't we pick a vid to watch? There are plenty of them since we have Netflix."

The three of them decided on a vid and then then started watching, from the couch with Emily on one side of Dave and JJ on the other. During the flick there was some serious necking involved, but all three more than enjoyed themselves, as they half watched the film they had selected.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

Several days later

"You said you had some things to tell us," Dave suggested gently as he sat with Jennifer on his lap and Emily at his side.

"Yeah, I did," JJ said, as she snuggled into Dave's supporting embrace. "Well, first off, I grew up a basically normal girl, got good grades, had my own group of friends was a cheerleader at my highschool, but then when I was 15 as you know tragedy struck, my parents were killed in a car accident. I was devastated, who wouldn't be at the death of two people they loved? My aunt was contacted and she took me in, but I had to move to Texas, where she lived. My aunt was great, I'm not denying it, but I struggled to make friends at my new school. I mean everybody else had known their friends since earliest childhood for the most part, so you try fitting in when you just moved there and you only have three more years of high school. Well, finally the torture of high school ended, and I had some casual friends by that point, but nobody I was really close to."

JJ paused for a second and then said, "We'll just skip the college years as nothing of significance happened, we can talk about it later."

"Whatever you want," Emily said. "This is your story and you're welcome to tell us as much or as little of it as you want."

"Thank you," JJ smiled at Emily. "In any case, I moved to Virginia, because I had gotten a good job there and for a few years I was happy, but then a few years after I graduated college my aunt died suddenly. I wasn't even aware she was sick, but apparently she had lung cancer. She did like to smoke, the real things, not the herbals that are better for your health, but it never occurred to me that she could get cancer from it and suddenly she was gone, my mother's sister that had supported me after I lost my parents.

"As much as I appreciated that she left me all her money that she had saved throughout her life I would rather have had her back again as we talked frequently on the phone and over email. I was suddenly alone in the world with no family and no close friends, so for the next couple of years I just kind of drifted.

"Finally about three years ago I was around 26, I started dating this guy that seemed perfect, but I should have known that was only surface. For several months everything was great I went to work, I came home to him and he seemed like the perfect man. Suddenly though everything changed, I got a raise at work and was so excited, as it was a really big thing for me.

"I went home and told my man about the raise and he went ballistic on me. He demanded that I not accept it or that I quit my job. I managed to talk him down that time, but I couldn't really understand why he had reacted so badly just because I had gotten a raise, something I felt I had earned.

"Finally he revealed one night when he was completely drunk that he didn't like the fact that I made more than he did. He apparently wanted to be the one to support the two of us and didn't want me to work at all, as he saw women like they did way back in the late 17th and early 18th century. He wanted me to simply quit my job, be a housewife, take care of the kids when they eventually came, and perhaps do a little charity work, but in his opinion that was all women were good for."

"I think guess where this is going," Emily winced.

"You're probably right," JJ said soberly. "As you can guess, I threw him out on his ear and told him not to come back until he corrected his thinking as this was the 22nd century. If a woman wanted to be just a housewife, look after the kids, be a soccer mom whatever that was her prerogative and her choice. It wasn't my choice though, as I was a woman of the 22nd century and I had been taught to work for a living and the fact that I loved my job probably helped me reach that decision. All was quiet for a few months, and I was happily thinking about maybe starting to date again when he showed up on my doorstep with flowers. He said he was sorry and what I take him back?"

"Please tell me you didn't fall for that ploy," Dave said totally disgusted at what he was hearing, but kept it to himself, as he was here to support JJ. Besides, it wasn't a JJ he was disgusted with, but her boyfriend before they had met. "It's got to be one of the oldest tricks in the book. The boyfriend apologizes, the woman takes him back and everything goes back to normal for awhile. Then suddenly something else happens to cause the boyfriend to get angry just as he did several months ago only this time he hits her. The woman of course, thinks it was an accident and so forgives him, but then it starts to happen more frequently until she ends up with regular bruises. She of course, says nothing to anyone, because by then the man has her convinced she deserves it and it isn't until the man puts her in the hospital that she finally gives him the boot."

"You're not far off, except for the fact that the first time he hit me I didn't take it to be an accident and I immediately gave him the boot telling him never to come back or speak to me again," JJ admitted. "Everything went back to normal for awhile, except he started to follow me everywhere when I went to the market or shopping or to work. He kept begging me to take him back, told me he was sorry that it wouldn't happen again, but I gave him the brushoff, as I wasn't about to take the chance, since I ended up with a bruise on my cheek last time he hit me supposedly on accident.

"I had been smart and read all about abused women and how it often started, so I knew exactly what kind of man he was. I refused to take him back and I thought that would be the end of it, but it was a couple of months later when I was walking to my car after having been shopping when suddenly he comes out of nowhere and starts to beat on me. He didn't even bother to hide his identity because he figured I wouldn't do anything about it. I was just a weak woman after all, and I would do what he said if I didn't want anymore pain.

"He took this knife out of his pocket and waved it in my face and told me he was going to seriously hurt me for refusing to take him back and he started to slash me across the stomach. It seemed like forever, but really it was only a few minutes when somebody was heard coming in our direction, so he fled like a coward.

"I didn't know what happened after that, as I was mostly unconscious with several broken bones, bruises over more than half my body a couple of cracked ribs and a concussion. What was the worst were the knife wounds, as he had slashed me across the belly deeply several times. I was bleeding badly and I knew I had several broken bones, but somebody found me and called 911. When I woke up I was in a hospital bed, with an IV running out of my arm."

"I want to kill the bastard," Dave growled holding JJ tight.

"So do I," Emily agreed looking just as furious. "No one should treat a woman in that manner, even though I know it happens far too often."

"Well, it has a happy ending," JJ said

"Only if the bastard ended up dead is it a happy ending," Dave said, "but I already know that's not what happens."

"He ends up in prison for life or close enough to a life sentence anyway that he'll be a very old man at the very least before he is released," JJ told Emily. "It turns out that I'm not the only one he did such a number on and one of those women wasn't so lucky, as I was as she ended up paralyzed. The only reason he hadn't been arrested before was because there was no evidence as the guy had scared all the women he had done such damage to into silence."

"I can't blame those women for being afraid," Emily said. "That's never happened to me, but then I learned how to defend myself a long time ago and I also have a very overprotective mate, so it's not like I ever had to look for a boyfriend. Still, the same can't be said for a great majority of females. I've talked to women in similar positions as I worked as a crisis counselor several times, at abuse shelters."

"You're also to observant and intelligent to fall for that particular brand of bullshit. You know how to read people and are more familiar with human nature then most people," Dave said, cuddling her close. "You already had several centuries under your belt, before that became common or at least before it wasn't always behind closed doors."

"Being married also protected me, because once a men knew I was under another man's protection, well, they didn't dare approach me, or at least they didn't if they had violence on their minds," Emily told JJ who nodded. "Back then, it was quite legal for someone like Dave to deal permanently with any man who dared laid a hand on me without my husband's express permission. Being married to a powerful man back then offered you an enormous amount of protection, but today not so much. Today depends on a man's connections, although I suppose that's another kind of power."

"It is, but also today law enforcement is much more competent than it was hundreds of years ago, as they really didn't know anything about crime back and then other than the basic ones like thievery, which has been around for thousands of years," Dave said. "They often had to catch the criminal in the act, or they wouldn't get a conviction due to not enough evidence."

"In any case, the doctors told me that I might not be able to have children, because of the damage that had been done, but it was still a possibility, no matter how slim. They just wanted to warn me in advance. The thought of never having children at that time devastated me as I wanted to marry a good man someday and have at least three or four kids," JJ said. "Dave has given me hope that I might someday have his children, since he told me that turning me Immortal should heal any injuries, so long as the doctors didn't remove my womb, since me being unable to have children was not something I was born with, but caused by an outside source."

"You don't have to go on I already know that you didn't date until you met Dave and I can't really blame you for that," Emily told her giving her a gentle hug. "I'm not exactly sure how I would have reacted if the same thing had happened to me as every person is different in how they react to trauma. If it was me, I likely would've been furious at the person who had beat me so badly, especially if I hadn't done anything to lead him on like so many people claim when a woman gets beaten to a pulp or raped. Oh, those women brought it on themselves, as a lot of people claim they led that man on. Look at how provocatively she dresses, so of course a man is going to attack her like some rabid animal. A lot of people talk like a man isn't guilty in such a situation, like he can't control himself, which is nonsense."

"A load of crap," Dave agreed vehemently.

"I definitely agree with that," Emily said. "If some people had their way we would dress in long sleeves, a high neck and a skirt all the way down to our ankles. We are supposed to cover up our assets like the Puritans or the Amish or a bunch of nuns, just so we don't supposedly provoke a man into raping or attacking us. Even if we did so, it would still happen."

"It doesn't matter," Dave shrugged. "Some people will always be stuck in another time where things were very different than they are today."

JJ gave a watery giggle as the conversation continued and Dave winked at her.

"Unfortunately, humans just weren't wired to behave all the time, so women being raped or murdered or attack like you were happens all the time. We're an imperfect species and that includes Immortals to," Emily said.

Everyone was quiet for a few minutes but then Emily said. "I'm glad you trusted us enough to get all this off your chest as it's not exactly good for you to keep it all bottled up."

"I felt that if I'm going to get involved in a relationship with Dave and you as well, even if our relationship will only be one of friendship, that it was only right if I'm totally honest. You both promised to be honest with me and it's not right if I don't do the same," JJ explained

"Well, good, I'm glad you feel that way as I believe that we need to be totally honest with each other so that there are no misunderstandings. We'll still argue occasionally that's inevitable, but our arguments aren't going to make us leave each other like it might another couple," Dave said. "That doesn't mean I'm not sorry for what happened to you JJ, sorry, that Emily and I didn't find you until recently, as perhaps we could have prevented what happened if we had."

"I don't believe I would have been ready to accept you three years ago," JJ told Dave seriously. "I was even more independent back then I am today and I probably would have rejected your explanation out of hand. I also have a stubborn streak a mile wide, but I didn't use it in the correct way back then. If you had showed up I would've told you to go away I'm sure and even if I didn't I never would have accepted your fantastic story. No, as painful as it was that attack changed me in so many ways, I became more mature and more thoughtful. I became much more cautious around people, men in particular, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I can now see my former boyfriend for what he is, but back then, I was determined to go my own way."

"Well, it's good that we didn't find you until last month then," Dave sighed. "Ilithyia and the gods always have a plan, but I still wish you hadn't had to go through two attacks like that, even if you didn't end up with any broken bones or knife wounds this time."

"It brought me to you, so it was worth it in the end," JJ said.

"I think, it's time for a meal and some lighter conversation," Emily suggested. "You can tell us some more of your history a little later, once we've had a chance to relax."

"That's an excellent suggestion," Dave approved, shooting Emily a grateful look.

"Why don't you tell me all about Immortals, everything," JJ suggested.

"Well, let's order some dinner for us and we can talk about it while we're eating," Dave said smiling. "There's no point of carrying on conversation on empty stomachs."

JJ's stomach growled on cue and she gave in with good grace.

"Anything specific you want?" Dave asked and both Emily and JJ shook their heads. "I'll just order a variety then, that way we all get our fill of various items."

"You mean sampler size portions," Emily said and Dave nodded.

"Exactly," Dave agreed. "I'll just go put the order in right quick, then we can talk about happier subjects."

"Sounds good," JJ said, as she rose from Dave lap, Dave immediately missing her warmth and her presence. "I've got to use the toilet anyway and perhaps, I'll take a quick shower."

"By the time you're done the food will likely be here, especially since it takes you so long to get dressed because of your injuries," Dave said taking out his cell phone.

"I'll help you," Emily offered and JJ nodded, so the two women left Dave to order their dinner while they headed off to the master bathroom that was part of the suite.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5

"So tell me what it's like being Immortal," JJ said, as she enjoyed the various samples of food from the hotel kitchen.

"Well, it can be fun and there really are a certain advantages, but can also be a bit of a pain," Emily began.

"In what way?" JJ asked.

"Well, for one thing if you make friends with a mortal you know in the back of your mind that they're going to eventually die, that their internal clock is ticking down every second and that's always sad," Dave said.

"But you can't cut yourself off from human contact either, as that's not good for a human or Immortal. There are people who are hermits for various reasons, but they're usually grouchy and hard to deal with, because they cut themselves off from all that makes life worth living," Emily explained. "For mortals this doesn't last forever, as mortals do die, but for Immortals it's different."

"There are many advantages to though," Dave said, "even if it's not all fun and games. The one thing we see is history as it happens, even if we don't realize it until it's put in the history books. Also we get a chance to travel a great deal, as much as we want at one time and most mortals can't say that unless it's for work, though there are exceptions."

"We also get to help people, even if that's from behind-the-scenes, because you tend to amass a fortune, as you learn all about the world and how to invest. Dave and I give great chunks of our money to charity, mostly those that are trying to cure serious diseases and ones that help children, once we make sure that they're real charities."

"Do you ever work?" JJ asked

"Sure, we do if we find a job that interest us, but we certainly don't work 9 to 5 most of the time," Dave said. "I've worked jobs in the past and so has Emily, although only since it's became common for women to have jobs so she hasn't had as many as I've had."

"No, only two serious ones," Emily admitted, "but really it wasn't all that long ago when women were subjugated and expected to take care of the house and the children and not much else, less then five hundred years. Until fairly recently women, at least from an Immortals perspective, were seen as lesser beings and not very intelligent by most men."

"Alright, so you can and do work," JJ said,

"Of course, we can and do sometimes," Dave said. "For one thing it gives us something to do, to keep us occupied. We aren't going to take a job,just because that's normal for most people, as we would have to go to college, take the classes, get the proper grades and so forth. I've done that in the past of course, but mostly we don't have jobs and when we do they're mainly a distraction. I'm afraid we can't afford to work a job for 30 years, because we don't age past 30, and while certain things can be done to disguise that our faces don't age, who wants to wear winkles or gray hair for 30 years or more?"

"No, we do our best to help other people behind-the-scenes, but mostly we live pretty quietly," Emily said. "We have our various hobbies, Dave's is writing and mine is painting.

"Are you any good?" JJ asked.

"Pretty good," Emily smiled, "ever heard of ELP?"

"That's you," JJ asked blinking in astonishment. ELP was quite famous and it had often been speculated what had happened to him, because the painter had been believed to be male, because he had stopped painting suddenly.

"Yeah, that's me," Emily smiled. "Unfortunately, I had to give up that particular career although I might take it up again in a 100 or 200 years from now."

"Why did you suddenly stop painting?" asked JJ.

"Because I was tired of it and it was time for Dave and I to move on," Emily answered.

"What did you use your initials instead of your full name?" JJ asked next.

"Because it was long enough ago that women painters weren't given much credit, so I used my initials and had Dave deliver them and the people who bought them assumed that I was male. Four hundred years ago a woman would've had a tough time selling their work no matter how good it was, but nowadays, it's easier for women painters to be recognized for their accomplishments."

"I hadn't thought of that," JJ said, as she nibbled on a sample. "It wasn't until the last few hundred years that females were anything other than cooks, secretaries, nurses or nannies."

"Really, up until the early 19th century women were expected to remain in the home," Emily said. "Hell, women couldn't even own property if they married until less than 300 years ago. I know things improved slowly and that this is the 22nd century, but it was a long time coming for women getting equal rights. Really, even though the government says we must be treated equally, we must be paid the same as a man for the work we do, we must have the same advantages, the same opportunities for advancement for good work it doesn't always work that way unfortunately. Employers might not be able to disadvantage a woman, pay her less and so forth anymore due to the law, but they can sure treat them like crap and get them to quit, although I admit that doesn't happen very often anymore, but it sure did in the 20th century and also the early 21st. It didn't happen as often after the 1970's and 80, but a lot of men still thought that woman were only good for one thing and that was having children and being a mother. I admit that was mostly older men, ones who didn't want things to change from the way they had been, but some younger men also shared similar views, likely because of their upbringing."

"That sort of thing happened far more in the 20th Century, after woman first started working in jobs that had been exclusively for men. It was due mostly to World War II that things started to change as cloth, and other products still had to be made and food gotten in from the fields and the only men that would have been available would have been either to old or have some kind of infirmity that prevented them from doing it. Besides, tilling something like a large field takes more than one person anyway and there wouldn't have been many men available due to the war," Dave said speaking for the first time. as he watched his two ladies talk frankly to each other.

"Women certainly didn't get paid as much as a man back then, no matter how good they were at their jobs," Emily said the derision clear in her tone. "It didn't matter if the women was often more productive than the man, they were still given short pay, just because of their sex. There was no law back then to prevent employers from paying women less."

"Of course today, there are still men who think women are beneath them and do everything they can do to disadvantage them, like your former boyfriend for instance, but most of us are more enlightened then that in this century. Things are certainly much better than they were back in the early 20th century and while there are still men who believe that women are good for anything except for having children and being housewives they're few and far between for the most part. Still, men can be brutes, even in this century, which is supposedly one of enlightenment."

"Believe me, I know, as I was nearly beat to death by one of those brutes after all," JJ snorted. "If you had been anything like Leonard, I guarantee you I wouldn't haven given you the time of day, much less fallen in love with you."

"No, Dave is nothing like Leonard, as he would never beat on a woman for any reason much less because she suddenly made more money than him," Emily said, smiling. "No, Dave is more the rescue the damsel in distress type."

"You mean a knight in shining armor?" JJ giggled, as Dave, simply smiled at them, not at all offended at the conversation, because both Emily and JJ were correct.

"Oh yes, that's Dave alright, gallant charming..." Emily said.

"Lovable, sweet, romantic," JJ continued causing Dave to actually blush.

"Alright, let's change the subject, shall we?" Dave suggested finally.

"What you don't like being praised?" Emily teased him.

"I don't like having my personality traits discussed right front of me, especially since I know you're teasing me at the same time," Dave corrected.

"Why shouldn't we tease you?" Emily asked innocently.

"It's all in good fun," JJ added with a smile kissing Dave's cheek.

"Still, let's change the subject," Dave suggested yet again.

"Alright, fine, ruin our fun," JJ pouted giving Dave a sexy wink, causing Dave's manhood to stand up and take notice.

"So let's get back to our original subject," Emily said after taking a moment to enjoy Dave's rather stunned expression. "Some of the advantages of being Immortal are: while we can be injured we heal really fast and we'll never be able to get serious and deadly diseases like cancer, or even something simple like a cold. We're always healthy, although we can lose or gain weight, so we still have to watch out for that. Basically though, anything that has to do with genetics schizophrenia cancer, Alzheimer's, we can't get anymore, even if it runs in your family line. We also can't get things like the flu, smallpox, measles, chickenpox, Leprosy or SARs."

"So I'll basically be immune to all the abnormalities that genetics can throw up and also things that come from germs," JJ summarized.

"Yeah, you can't get any of it," Dave said. "It's a big advantage to us, particularly when things like the plague strike. If Immortals could get such a dangerous disease then Emily and I would very likely be dead now, as very few were spared at the time."

"Well, that is something I can definitely get behind," JJ said pleased. "I never have enjoyed getting sick, even if it's just a cold and I usually get one at least once a year, in the winter."

"Who does?" Dave asked rhetorically. "Yes, that is one thing about being mortal I don't miss."

"I don't blame you there," JJ said, "as I certainly won't miss getting a cold every year."

"Yes, they are all really quite a few advantages to being Immortal," Emily said. "We heal even from gunshot wounds quickly, though you need to get the bullet out before it does or the wound will simply close over it, which can be a serious disadvantage, depending on where it's located. Still, it's a very useful ability to have because it stops you from bleeding out if you've been hit in a vital spot, like the stomach."

"That's definitely a useful ability, JJ said.

"It definitely is," Emily agreed. "I've never been shot, but Dave has."

"And it was very painful, so I prefer not to repeat the experience," Dave said. "I'll have to tell you how it happened sometime, just not today."

"I really don't blame you for not wanting to be shot again," JJ said

"Believe me, it is an experience I don't want to repeat anytime soon, preferably ever," Dave said. "Luckily, guns really aren't very common nowadays, not ever since stunners have become the weapon of choice. I suspect that at some point the government will probably ban projectile weapons, not that that doesn't mean that some criminal won't be able to pick up one on the black market, but it sure does mean that people will be safer. Not completely safe of course, because life itself is inherently dangerous, but certainly safer."

"We don't age from the time we're 30," Emily chipped in. "At 30 we're fully mature at least agewise, but the same can't be said for our emotions or our mental processes as that takes time and plenty of life experiences, just like it does for humans."

"That makes sense if you ask me," JJ said. "You're basically human after all, just with a few... extras."

"That's one way of putting it," Dave chuckled, pulling JJ closer to him.

The three of them continued to talk sometime, even after the dinner dishes have been put outside the door, before the three of them headed to bed for it had been a long emotional day.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

Six weeks later

"You sure you're ready for this part?" Dave asked JJ. "Once I spurt my seed into you the bond will begin to form. We'll be inevitably linked from that moment on. You won't be Immortal of course, not for a year, so you still have the choice as to whether to stop the relationship at least until after the first week, which is when the transformation into an Immortal will begin, as you would have absorbed quite a bit of my seed by then and it all adds up."

"Yes, I'm ready," JJ told him calmly, but with anticipation and excitement in her eyes. "I love you so much, more than I've ever loved anybody else. You're what I've been searching for all my life. Somebody I can settle down with, even if I know I will no longer grow old. Of course, I didn't expect you to have a relationship with another woman, but then who expects that kind of thing?"

"No one," Dave admitted smiling. "Unless you're another Immortal of course. Well, if you're ready then I'm more than ready to make love to you. I've been anticipating it actually, for what seems like forever."

"Well then, let's get started," JJ said eagerly. "You no longer have to be careful with me because my injuries have healed completely."

"It will be a pleasure," Dave said, as he helped JJ remove her shirt and once he had pulled it over her head he took off her bra next. He threw both items somewhere and he didn't really care where they landed. Once they were out of the way he unbuttoned her pants and let them drop to the floor. JJ then stepped out of them, then kicked them out of the way, so she didn't trip over them while she was distracted.

"You're absolutely beautiful and don't let anybody ever tell you differently," Dave murmured his voice thick with his emotions. He began to explore her breasts, squeezing them gently, but firmly in his hands, before he started kissing and licking them, sucking her nipples into little peaks. JJ whimpered at the tender, loving attention that Dave was lavishing on her and began to kiss him as well, wherever she could reach, whether that was his cheek, his nose or the side of his neck and Dave responded to her attentions by speeding up his ministrations.

As Dave was busy, he was gently guiding her towards the bed, and when JJ's legs bumped against the side he released her and allowed her to fall onto it. Once JJ was completely on the bed, Dave was on top of her immediately ripping her underwear away, causing JJ to gasp in surprise at his actions, but then to relax and smile at him. "Making love to you will never get boring," Dave murmured softly in JJ's ear. "It won't matter how long the two of us are together. I am looking forward to the next few centuries with you in my life."

"So am I," JJ panted, her breathing coming in short, sharp gasps "which is not something I believed that I'd ever say to any man."

"Well, I'm your man now, yours and Emily's," Dave told her. "You don't ever cheat on your mate or in my case mates, since that would inevitably damage the bond between them. No, Immortal would ever do that to their other half unless they had gone completely around the bend, as they would just feel incredibly guilty afterwards and that would damage their relationship with their mates even farther."

"Good," JJ told him, even as she kissed him and nibbled along his bottom lip. "Because I can be incredibly jealous and I'm sure Emily is the same way, so just make sure you stay on the straight and narrow mister and we'll get along just fine."

Dave didn't respond verbally, simply started making love to her again lavishing her breasts with attention before moving downwards. He was nibbling on one of her inner thighs when JJ groaned. "Need you now," JJ begged, her voice a breathy whisper, as pleasure so strong it nearly made her speechless coursed though her. "Need you in my center, my core, need you spurting your seed into me."

"As you wish, gorgeous," Dave said, eager to fulfill that particular command. Dave lined up his manhood with JJ's pussy and shoved himself into it one smooth motion able to do so, because JJ was more than slick enough due to her own juices. This visible sign that Jennifer did indeed love him, was very welcome indeed and he would never got tired of bringing her to completion, just as he never got tired of doing the same for Emily.

Dave gave a grunt before his overfilled, painful cock released its load of semen into his mate's beautiful body for the first time. Dave felt the connection immediately though it was far from complete, but this was the start of it and he was very happy, more like exhilarated actually.

JJ screamed his name before she went over the edge of her climax, nearly blacking out it was so strong.

"You're mine exclusively now," Dave growled possessively in her ear. "If I ever catch you with another man, in a compromising position there will be hell to pay unless you tell me you're breaking off our relationship. I am one possessive son of a bitch where you and Emily are concerned."

"There is no need to worry," JJ said tenderly once she had recovered enough from her climax to speak. "I've already told you I'm yours and I have no intention of breaking that promise. I love you to far much to ever cheat on you."

JJ kissed him longingly, tenderly, passionately all at the same time and Dave deepened the kiss immediately and soon they were making love again. The two of them made love throughout the night with several catnaps in between sessions to renew their energy levels.

"I love you," Dave told her tenderly once the two of them had woken the next morning

"Well, it's a good thing I love you too," JJ said, as she stretched her arms up to put them around Dave's neck, since he was still laying on top of her. In fact, he had been better than a blanket all night long as his body heat radiated out from his body keeping her all warm and toasty in the coolness of the hotel room.

JJ pulled him close and kissed him very tenderly on the lips, which Dave responded to immediately, his cock instantly beginning to harden.

"Up for another round?" Dave asked hopefully. "Or are you too sore?"

"I'm fine," JJ promised. "I'll be a little sore, but that's to be expected after making love all night. I'll gladly take the soreness if you continue to make love to me the way you did all night long."

"Now there is a command I will happily obey," Dave said grinning broadly. "My manhood is always happy to be of service. After this though, I think we need to get up, perhaps, take a nice long soak together in the whirlpool bath."

"After that I think we need to eat some lunch, as it will be time by then," JJ said. "Perhaps, we can spend some time with Emily, have lunch with her."

"If that's what my lady wants, then that's what my lady gets," Dave said. "If you want she can join us in the whirlpool or it could be just the two of us, as this is the time for you and me, but what you want you get."

"What I want is to be selfish and keep you all to myself for at least the next week, but I know that isn't possible, or at least it wouldn't be right to leave Emily to her own devices for that length of time, so I don't mind if she joins us for lunch. It's not like I've never seen another naked woman before, since I am the same gender after all, and she is your mate as well. I'm not ready for her to be in the same bed as us though, especially not when we're making love," JJ explained.

"Which is fine," Dave said. "You'll get there, it will just take time. Soon, you'll think nothing of me making love to Emily while you watch and even participate, as Emily certainly won't be shy about joining in when the two of us are going at it like crazed monkeys."

"You and Emily have been together forever though and she's known about me or at least that you had another mate since you were kids," JJ reminded Dave.

"Yes, it's not the same I know that, but I promise you soon the three of us will be able to go around naked in privacy and none of us will think anything of it, much less worry about our nudity," Dave told JJ.

"Probably," JJ agreed, blushing a little, as she thought about being so comfortable in her own skin that she wouldn't care if she was nude in front of others. Well, JJ amended, so long as it was just Dave and Emily who were seeing her and not some stranger. "I think though we need to work up to that."

"Which is absolutely fine," Dave said smiling goofily down at JJ. "Thank you for agreeing to this, you've made me so happy."

"You're welcome," JJ said smiling herself, running a gentle hand down Dave's cheek and Dave instantly leaned onto the touch. "You've made me happier than I ever dreamed I could be, so it goes both ways. Keep up the good work."

"I guess it does and I certainly plan to," Dave said smiling gently, as he began to make love to her again, making her last much longer this time before she finally climaxed again with him inside her.

"I'll go start the whirlpool if you want to go get Emily," JJ gently suggested after she had recovered from her earthshattering climax. "If she doesn't want to join us that's fine, but you were right when you said I need to get used to the three of us doing things like this together, so this is a good place to start. A nice relaxing bath while we wash each other and even play in the water. I need to learn to be comfortable around you two, no matter what we are doing at the time, so long as we save the nakedness for the privacy of our home, as we don't want to be arrested for public nudity," JJ added her tone teasing.

Dave chuckled in amusement, but it did sound like fun, so he left to get Emily without bothering to get dressed.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"I think it's time we discussed leaving Chula Vista," Dave told Emily and JJ.

The three of them sat together on the couch in front of the TV and were dressed as none of them needed to be distracted by the others nakedness.

"I knew this was coming," JJ said looking rather sad, as Chula Vista had been her home for over three years after all, and it had been good to her despite the mugging that she had gone through a couple of months ago.

"It's always sad to be leaving someplace you've considered home for a long time," Emily said instantly understanding where JJ thoughts were going. "Us, Immortals, just like mortals can get attached to our possessions, our homes, the people we've known for a long time or to whatever city we've been living in. On the other side of the coin though, in a small city like this, it's not good to stick around very long, particularly not considering our very unusual relationship."

"I have to agree with Emily," Dave said. "We've been here nearly 3 months already and that's a rather long time to stay in somewhere like Chula Vista unless we were planning on actually moving here. If this was San Diego or San Francisco then our staying so long wouldn't even be noticed as there are many, many more people."

"We're in San Diego County though and we could've just made the Grant our base while we saw many of the sites in this area," Emily said. "We might want to start dropping hints that we stayed at the Grant, because it was a good base to see everything San Diego County had offer, but also say that we're moving on."

"What about me though?" JJ asked, as she leaned into Dave's shoulder.

"Well, that's an explanation we need to come up with," Dave said. "Why are you suddenly leaving somewhere you've made your home? I know you've already quit your job and I thought you gave an adequate explanation for that, but people are going to assume that you're just looking for some other type of work and won't expect you to leave the area completely."

"Well, I could say that I tried finding other work, but I just can't seem to relax and always seem to be looking over my shoulder and who could blame me after such a vicious attack when all I was doing was walking to my car after work? It's not like a waitress is going to have a lot of cash on her," JJ suggested.

"Well, at least he's out of your life," Emily said glancing at Dave when she was sure JJ wasn't looking, only to find Dave's looking back at her with a serious expression.

The murder of the mugger that had attacked JJ so viciously had been all over the news not long after JJ had gotten out of the hospital. Once the police had identified him and had been going to arrest him for his attack on JJ, he had disappeared. Dave however, had tracked him down and delivered what he considered justice. The mugger had ended up with a broken neck in the end and the only reason Dave hadn't beaten him to a pulp was because it would have been considered torture something that Ilithyia forbid, except under specific circumstances. He certainly didn't want to lose his Immortality by going against one of her commands, so as much as had wanted to he had simply broken the mugger's neck, snapping it like a twig instead. Torture might be against the rules but there was nothing in them that said you couldn't defend yourself or your mate or protect those you love and Dave saw taking care of the mugger as protecting Jennifer, even if he knew he was scooting close to edge of what was acceptable. However, Ilithyia didn't expect an Immortal to just to accept the fact that's someone an Immortal loved had been seriously hurt through no fault of their own, so getting rid of the attacker was acceptable. People like that did absolutely nothing useful for society as a whole and really just caused problems, so it wasn't going to be any problem just to get rid of people like that. Normally, Dave wasn't a violent man, but when it came to his mates and protecting them he certainly could be. Any Immortal whose mate had been attacked for no reason other than they had been in the wrong place at the wrong time could be violent, so his actions would not be considered unusual among his kind.

Besides, he certainly didn't want JJ looking over her shoulder for the mugger who had attacked her so viciously, as he wanted her to put the attack behind her. Dave had made sure to leave no clues behind, as to who had done it and although he and Emily had been questioned because it was well known and they were friends with the victim the police had gotten nothing from them and so the case remained unsolved, as there was absolutely no evidence that he had been involved.

"And as small minded and petty as it is of me I get a kind of vicious satisfaction that he can no longer attack anyone else," JJ said.

"Personally I don't think it's small minded or petty," Dave said. "I think you have every right to feel that way because he likely would've killed you just for what what was in your wallet and as you said it's not like waitresses are going to carry a great deal of cash on them. You probably had what $40? Maybe $60 in your wallet? That's hardly enough to beat someone to death over, although I know it happens."

"Actually, I think I only had about 25, maybe 30 dollars," JJ said trying to remember. "Enough to buy myself a meal, maybe pick up a few groceries, even if I would likely have used my credit card for that."

"According to the police the mugger had a lot of drugs in his system so he probably went after the first person he saw," Emily suggested. "He was likely hallucinating, depending on what drugs he had been consuming."

"It doesn't matter he's dead and I'm glad," JJ said with tears in her eyes, as she remembered being so viciously attacked. "I'm not sure I would've considered it justice if the police just put him in prison, because he would've eventually gotten out."

"Hey, hey it's okay," Dave soothed her, as he kissed the top of her head and rubbed gentle circles on her back. "I'll sign you up for some martial arts lessons, so that you can protect yourself better next time so long as that's what you want."

"That might be a good idea," JJ considered. "I'll think about it, but right now we need to concentrate on leaving Chula Vista without anyone spreading a whole lot of untrue and vicious rumors. I don't want to be the talk of the town thank you, especially not in that way."

"Well, I think your idea is a good one," Emily offered dropping the subject of what had happened to the mugger that had attacked JJ and put her in the hospital. "I would start spreading rumors with your former coworkers about how you just can't get comfortable in Chula Vista anymore as you are always looking over your shoulder. You can't even relax in your apartment due to your imagination of it happening in a place you consider your home. You've been jumping at shadows and ordinary sounds, sounds that you didn't even used to notice and so you decided that you'll never be able to truly relax unless you move elsewhere. Even staying with the new friends of yours at their hotel in their spare room has not been enough to get you to truly relax, especially when you go out in public. Yes, you know the mugger's dead, even though who killed him is a mystery, but still, you can't help jumping at shadows, so you think a fresh start somewhere maybe San Francisco or Los Angeles will be just the ticket. All you have to do is tell a few of the former waitresses you worked with, maybe some of your neighbors from your apartment building and believe me, the word will spread."

"You know that's not bad," Dave said consideringly. "It's nice, it's simple, it's even basically the truth and with peoples need to gossip..."

"Yes, that's a good plan," JJ decided. "We'll have to leave separately though. You can leave town maybe a week or so before I do and I can meet you anywhere you tell me to."

"I would say San Francisco, as it's far enough away that nobody will know us," Emily suggested. "We can even take a few of JJ's possessions with us, ones what she won't absolutely have to have while she's packing up as we have plenty of room in the SUV we bought last year."

"We can hire a moving company to clear JJ's apartment and she can drive her car to San Francisco with whatever she can carry in it," Dave said not liking the plan very much, as it involved being separated from Jennifer, but he did understand the necessity of it, so he'd go along. "After you get to San Francisco I plan on buying you a nice new car as that one is a piece of crap and no, you can't talk me out of it."

"I know, so I'm not going to bother to try," JJ sighed. "I know I need a new car, but I've been putting off buying one, because it is so expensive and my old one served."

"You need one that's reliable so it doesn't break down between here and San Francisco or wherever you decide to go," Dave told her. "As much as I'd rather you stay with us, we can't all live out of one car until we decide to settle somewhere. We do need to settle somewhere for the next few months though, because Emily's, already into her third trimester. I just think it's a good idea if we rent a condo or a house so that she doesn't strain herself at this stage, as we don't need to be traveling with her only three months from giving birth."

"I'm fine," Emily said rolling her eyes at Dave. "I know I need to take it a little easier, but I'm okay to travel for at least another six weeks or so."

"Still, you need to look after yours and the baby's health," JJ gently chided Emily. "We can still do shopping together, explore San Francisco and so forth, but I think it's a really good idea to stay there at least until after you give birth."

"Alright, fine," Emily caving in the face of both Dave's and JJ's determination.

"I think it's a good idea," Dave said giving Emily a look to stop her from protesting. "We might not find such another stable situation until it's to late. Better to be safe and all that. It's not like you get pregnant very often."

"That's very true," Emily said giving in with good grace. "I guess settling in San Francisco is a good idea at least until after I've given birth."

"I can't wait to be an aunt," JJ said enthusiastically.

"And you'll be a good one," Dave said, as he kissed the side of JJ's neck affectionately.

"Well, I think we have a plan," Emily said smiling, as she cuddled close Dave's side while JJ was snuggled in his lap.

"Well, I'm a lucky man to have two lovely ladies as my mates," Dave said smiling rather goofily.

"Yes, you are and JJ and I will make sure you don't forget it," Emily told him mock severely.

"Never," Dave told them both sincerely. "I would never allow either of you to think that I don't love you with everything I am, or for you to feel neglected."

"Well, he does have a way with words," JJ said smiling.

"He always has, it's probably what makes him such a good writer," Emily said smiling.

"I think you'll enjoy San Francisco," Dave told JJ. "Emily and I have been there before, but not for decades, so it'll almost be like seeing it for the first time."

"Yes, but it's been what?" Emily mused trying to remember. "100 years or so?"

"Try 170," Dave laughed, "or around that anyway. It was really late in the 20th Century the last time we were there."

"So what was it like?" JJ asked eagerly.

"Well, let's see," Dave mused. "I believe it was sometime in the 1990s or something like that last time we were there..."

Dave and Emily both started to tell her stories about what San Francisco had been like so long ago, and JJ cuddled into Dave's chest and listened in fascination as the two Immortals told about a totally different century, that had been so far in the past it had been gone before she had even been a glimmer in her parents eyes.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6

San Francisco

A week later

"We are glad you're finally here," Dave told JJ giving her a hug.

"It's only been a week," JJ laughed, although she admitted, if only to herself, that she had missed both Dave and Emily.

"A week too long," Dave growled possessively, as he gave JJ a tender heart searing kiss.

"I missed you too," JJ assured him looking rather dazed from the kiss, which had been tender, passionate and possessive all at the same time.

"I know it, as we did speak every day, sometimes several times a day," Dave said more calmly. "Still, you're finally here, and that's what matters."

"He really did miss you," Emily said, as she gave JJ a hug. "He's been a bit out of sorts since we had to leave you behind."

"I got that impression," JJ laughed. "I'm glad to be here."

"Well, now, that you all we'll never be parted for so long again," Dave said. "Not unless the situation is very unusual."

"So why don't you come in relax as I know it was a rather long trip," Emily suggested gently.

"It was especially long to drive in one day," JJ agreed sagging tiredly. "Still, I wasn't interested in staying in yet another hotel overnight when you were only a few hours away. I stayed at the Grant in the suite you paid for, after giving my apartment manager a week's notice. I also arranged to have all my things stored for the time being. Nobody really questioned why I was moving, except for a couple of neighbors that live in the same building I used to. I doubt I'll even be remembered for very long. In five years people will likely barely remember me, except distantly."

"That's not a bad thing at all," Dave said. "You let people know you were leaving so there's no reason to get the police involved and you even told some people the reason why. You could keep in contact over email with your few casual friends if you wanted to."

"No, I think a clean break will be best," JJ decided. "I'll soon fade from peoples memories and that's for the best."

"It is, but I didn't want you to lose your other friends if you wanted to maintain contact," Dave said.

"Thanks," JJ smiled tiredly, as she snuggled into Dave's arms perfectly content to remain there forever.

"Well, if you're not too tired I would love to make love to you as I haven't had the pleasure of your body in a week," Dave said hopefully. "Besides, the process to make you Immortal has been stalled, because of circumstances, so we need to resume that as soon as possible. Of course, we only made love a few times before we decided it was time to leave, so we're not past the week mark where you start turning into an Immortal yet and that's very good."

"I'm to tired. After all, I did drive for almost nine hours with a stop for food and gas, so I've been on the road more like 11. Tomorrow though, I'm all yours," JJ promised yawning.

"You're all mine all the time," Dave growled playfully causing JJ to giggle tiredly. "Alright, I'll wait until tomorrow because you're tired."

"Why don't we order us a late dinner and then JJ can get some sleep afterwards," Emily suggested gently.

"Sounds good," JJ said, as her stomach growled on cue. "I didn't want to stop for dinner, as I wanted to get here as soon as possible, so I haven't had any."

"Well, it's only 7 o'clock so it's not that late for dinner," Dave said. "You must've really gotten an early start, as Emily and I didn't really expect you before nine at least."

"I left around 6:30 in the morning," JJ admitted. "I didn't want to be separated from the two of you any longer than necessary."

"That's certainly good to hear," Emily smiled.

"What can I say you've changed my life in a very short amount of time," JJ said smiling as well.

"Yeah, we did, didn't we?" Dave mused before grinning broadly. "You certainly changed mine and I mean that in the best possible way."

"Hey! Don't leave me out," Emily teased her two mates, as she watched JJ snuggle into Dave's arms pleased at the progress that her new sister was making. JJ wasn't precisely inhibited when it came to sexual intercourse, she'd just had had a lot of weirdness to absorb in the last few weeks, as threesomes weren't exactly the norm, nor were Immortals, so she felt that JJ was doing very well considering the circumstances.

Neither she or Dave had mentioned that a third woman whom they didn't know the name of yet would be joining their merry little trio, making them a quartet. They had both felt that JJ had enough to deal with for the moment, but they would have to tell her soon. Emily wasn't entirely sure how JJ would take the news that she wasn't the last, but hopefully, it would go well.

"Of course not," Dave said, as one of his arms released JJ to pull Emily to his side. "You know how I feel about both of you."

"Of course we do," JJ giggled.

"That's been rather obvious for some time," Emily added grinning at the byplay.

"What can I say I'm just so vital that I needed more than one mate to keep me satisfied," Dave grinned.

"You're vital alright," Emily said still in a teasing tone, "but I believe I've managed to satisfy you for 600 years before JJ came into the picture."

Dave actually sputtered at that and didn't have a chance to respond before Emily added, "I could use the break, so I'm glad we finally found JJ."

JJ giggled at the byplay between Dave and Emily, which had been Emily's intent in the first place.

"At least now I can have some quiet time, because I won't be trying to satisfy a horn dog with a libido the size of Alaska," Emily added.

"Hey! Hey! There's no reason to be insulting," Dave protested, though with laughter in his eyes

"Oh, did I insult you?" Emily asked innocently, with a pure angelic expression. "I wasn't trying to or anything. Besides, I didn't say anything that wasn't true, you are a horn dog with a libido of the size of Alaska."

"Can I help it if I had one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen in my life for 600 years?" Dave asked with a smirk when Emily actually blushed. "And that was before we finally found Jennifer, so now I have two gorgeous women to help me keep my overactive libido under control. However, I take exception that you think my libido is the size of Alaska."

"So who's sharing your bed tonight, me or JJ?" asked Emily, desperately changing the subject.

"Jennifer, because I haven't seen her in a week and we need to reconfirm our connection, even if all we'll be doing is sleeping," Dave answered immediately.

Emily nodded, as that's what she had figured.

"Well, it looks like he's all yours for the next few hours anyway," Emily told JJ.

"Something I promise you I've been looking forward to," JJ grinned, "but I believe you should join us Emily."

"You sure you're ready for that?" Dave asked surprise in his expression.

"To sleep together yes," JJ answered honestly. "I've been doing a lot of thinking over the last week and decided that I need to get used to all three of us sleeping together, as for making love with an audience I don't think I'm ready for that yet. Besides, we shared a Jacuzzi together, so this is no different."

"Still, us sleeping together is a big step for you," Emily said. "I was all prepared to take the second bedroom."

"Dave's your mate to and you sure have known him a hell of a lot longer than I have. I would feel incredibly guilty if I kick you out of his bed, unless it's a special occasion," JJ explained her reasoning.

"Well, if you're sure you'll be comfortable with that it's more than fine with me," Dave told JJ, as sober as a priest on Sunday.

"I suggest we give it a trial run," Emily said. "If you have trouble sleeping or whatever let us know and I can move to the other room for awhile or we can switch off."

"I will," JJ promised, "but I've gotten used to the thought of more then one woman sharing a man's bed now, so I don't think I'll be having any trouble with you sleeping with both of us. Of course, all we'll be doing is sleeping for the time being."

"Which is fine, as you get to set the pace, since you're the newest one of us," Dave said. "Emily and I always knew that we had another mate, but you're a relative newcomer to the picture, whose only known about Immortals and their mates for a short amount of time. Really, you've had to accept an awful lot in the last few weeks."

"I don't think it will take me long to get used to the idea, but we'll see," JJ said.

"Well then, let's order some dinner and then we can all get ready for bed," Dave said. "We'll see how we do sleeping together before we take it to the next level."

"Thank you for being so accommodating," JJ told Dave kissing him tenderly.

"You're more than welcome," Dave said, "but really, there's no need to thank me, because if I forced you into anything you could come to resent and perhaps, hate me. No, you don't ever treat your mate as anything but a part of your soul."

"In other words, you treat them the same way that you want to be treated," Emily translated. "If he started treating either one of us as his whores, like we were only good for sex and nothing else then we would soon come to at least resent him if not outright hate him, which would probably lead to a lot of arguments and yelling if he did so, because I am not one for being mistreated."

Dave chuckled at that, because it was so true.

"I'd probably slap him around some until he saw sense and if that didn't work, I'd probably punch him," Emily added with a fierce grin. "You don't have to worry though, as Dave's never been like that, as he knows how to treat a woman, even though he's 600 years old. Dave is a true gentleman."

"I know that already," JJ said. "If I didn't, I guarantee, I never would have agreed to be yours, along with Emily of course, as I've had enough of men mistreating me."

"I don't blame you there," Dave told JJ tenderly, kissing her forehead. "Well, as much as I hate to end this conversation I had better go order all of us some dinner. What would you ladies like?"

Emily found the room service menu, scanned it selecting her dinner before handing it to JJ who didn't take more than a minute to decide what she wanted.

Once they were done, Dave called the room service numbers and ordered the three dinners.

"Well, we might as well do some necking while we're waiting," Dave grinned.

JJ giggled tiredly at that and Emily also looked amused, but neither objected to Dave's plan, but then they weren't idiots after all.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"How did you sleep?" Dave asked JJ the next morning as soon as they had gotten showers separately and sat down to breakfast

"I was out like a light all night," JJ said, "so I don't think sleeping with all three of us in the bed is going to be a problem."

"That's excellent!" Dave beamed. "I didn't think you had trouble sleeping, but I wanted to make sure."

"Nope, no trouble sleeping," JJ said shaking her head smiling. "After breakfast, as promised I'm all yours for the rest of the day."

Dave massively grinned at that as ideas of what he wanted to do to Jennifer danced in his head.

"Well, it sounds like I need to make myself scarce," Emily said smiling coming from the bathroom.

"I don't want to leave you out Emily," JJ protested.

"It's alright," Emily promised sincerely. "I've had Dave's attention for the last week as you couldn't come for a few days due to circumstances, so we've had our time together for the present. This is the way that multiple relationships work. Dave has to split his time between me and you, though we will still do plenty of things together. Once the three of us start to have sex on a regular basis well, Dave will be able to do both of us, though not at the same time."

"You mean in one session," JJ supplied. "Within minutes of each other."

"Yeah, and that's something I'm looking forward to," Dave said grinning smugly with anticipation, as he thought about that. "But don't let me rush you into anything, as I know you have to work up to that idea, which is something I can understand, since you were raised in a normal two parent household. Right now, me having sex with you or Emily separately while the other is not present is okay."

"Don't feel guilty," Emily said. "I won't feel neglected I promise, as I have plenty to keep me occupied like shopping."

Dave rolled his eyes at that, causing JJ to giggle, as she knew that Dave didn't really care if Emily or her went shopping or not and really it was always just as much to his benefit as it was for theirs, because Emily often bought nice outfits that Dave really appreciated, since Emily always gave him a fashion show of what she had bought. JJ wouldn't mind doing the same next time she went clothes shopping and she knew Dave would appreciate anything she bought.

"Don't you have enough clothes, shoes, purses and everything else?" Dave asked pretending to be upset.

"You can never have too many of these items," Emily told him smugly. "Besides, you sure do appreciate the fashion show I give you when I do go clothes shopping."

"That's true," Dave said soberly before his face broke into a massive grin.

"Alright you two, let's go somewhere for breakfast," JJ giggled at the byplay, as she knew they were doing it to let her know that neither one of them would be upset to be separated, just so Dave could spend a massive amount of time with her alone.

"We'll take both cars, so I can leave you to to your own devices right after breakfast," Emily said.

"A good idea," Dave decided.

"Maybe a cab would be more convenient," Emily considered. "No, in this case, me driving would probably be better."

"Yeah, I believe it would be, since you're going to do a lot of shopping and that way you can drop your packages off at your car when you get to many," Dave said.

"So I'm assuming that you bought a car while I was still in Chula Vista because you only had one before," JJ mentioned.

"Yep," Emily grinned. "A brand-new Mercedes in my favorite color of bold red."

"When you live someplace like New York that has an excellent cab service and also subways, well, you don't really need more than one car, if any," Dave said. "But in some places you have to call a cab and you can't just get one on the corner."

"Of course, many people do have cars in New York and they have to pay to have it garaged, which can be expensive," Emily said.

"But you're going to tell me, in your case, you can afford the fees, so it's not going to bother you to have two or even three cars, even some place like New York," JJ said.

"Yep," Dave grinned. "You will get used to the way we do things eventually. Besides, we might decide to live out in the suburbs instead of in the city itself and that means we'll have a garage, for our cars."

"Personally, while cabs are convenient they're often dirty and nasty on the floor," Emily said winkling her nose, "particularly in someplace like New York."

"So where do you want to go for breakfast?" JJ asked changing the subject.

"It doesn't really matter to me," Dave shrugged. "They have an excellent restaurant here in the hotel or we can go somewhere else."

"Well, I didn't really see much of San Francisco coming in as I was too tired to really take notice of all the scenery, so why don't we go to breakfast by the scenic route," JJ suggested.

"Sounds good, this little one needs to be fed," Emily said patting her enormous belly.

"It won't be long now before he or she is born," Dave grinned.

"You sure you don't want to know the sex?" JJ asked. "I would think you would."

"It doesn't really matter to us," Emily told JJ. "We've had some of each over the centuries, so the sex isn't really important."

"So how many have you had over 600 years?" JJ asked.

"This'll be our eighth," Dave grinned.

"That's really not too many considering how old you both are," JJ said.

"No, it's really not," Emily said. "I've always wished I could have two or three back to back so that my son or daughter has siblings to play with, but unfortunately, that has never been possible. At least we can have children though, so for that I am grateful, even if they are decades, nearly a hundred years apart."

"Well, it's possible we could get pregnant at basically the same time," JJ said grinning at that thought.

"Now that is a nice thought," Emily grinned. "Our babies would almost be siblings."

"They would be, half siblings anyway, since the father would be the same, even if their mothers are different," Dave said. "Believe me, the thought of the two of you falling pregnant within a few weeks or a couple of months of each other fills me with great joy and hopefully, it will happen someday, but after Jennifer is Immortal."

"Just to be able to get pregnant would be a great relief to me," JJ said. "It would prove that Dave was right about turning me Immortal will repair the damage that was done or possibly that the doctors were wrong when they told me it was a strong possibility that I'd never be able to have children, because of what that bastard did to me."

"That's a dream we all share," Emily told JJ soberly. "What that bastard did to you... he deserves more than to be locked up for life. To possibly take away your ability to have a child, which for most women is that the very center of who they are, part of their sense of self, their very identity. To not be able to have children would shatter a lot of women. You didn't let it shatter you though, so that makes you strong."

"Well, it helped that the doctors weren't positive," JJ said. "I think they said something along the lines that such an assault that I had endured might make having children impossible, but they weren't a 100% sure. They said it might be possible for me to still have them, but if I did get pregnant, then the pregnancy would have to be watched closely due to the previous damage that was done. Of course, at the time, it did devastate me, just like it would a woman who really wanted to child with a man she loved, but I just decided to look on the positive side as the doctor said I still might be able to get pregnant and carry a child to term."

"I think it's time to get off this morbid subject," Dave suggested gently. "What will happen will happen and hopefully, Ilithyia will bless us not only with a child JJ, but many children in the future."

"Alright, I'm going to go get dressed then," JJ decided. "I should be ready in half an hour or so."

"I need to get dressed to and since I've already had my shower, it shouldn't take too long," Emily said.

"Take your time ladies, I'll get dressed in the other room while you share the master suite," Dave offered.

"There is no point of that, Dave," JJ told him gently. "It's not like I've never seen you naked."

"Alright, if that's what you want," Dave agreed smiling at the progress JJ was making. "I'll just take a quick shower before I come and join you."

"That sounds like a fine idea," Emily said grinning. "Let's go JJ, since it always takes us ladies longer to get dressed, as we have to do makeup and things."

"You do know I think both of you are beautiful with or without makeup, right?" Dave asked.

"We realize that," JJ promised, as she kissed him.

"But we want to look best for you," Emily added, also kissing him. "We want you to be the envy of all other men as you escort your two lovely ladies to breakfast."

"I certainly will be," Dave said grinning, as he imagined the looks of envy that men shot him, for having two such gorgeous women on his arms.

The three of them headed off in their separate directions to get ready to go to breakfast.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Wow! This is spectacular!" JJ said, as she saw that while they had been at breakfast Dave had managed to arrange to have the suite covered in vases of flowers. Roses of various colors, alstroemeria, lilies carnations, daffodils, amaryllis, gladiolus, tulips, hyacinth and many more that JJ could and couldn't identify were spread around the living room of the suite. The living area was absolutely covered with vases upon vases of the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. There were even flower petals scattered all over the floor to make it extra romantic. "You didn't need to do this, but they're lovely, stunningly gorgeous."

"I want you to know that you are special to me," Dave told her, as he put his arms around her and swung her around causing her to squeal playfully. "I love you and I want you to know it."

"Did anybody ever tell you, you are the most romantic man on the planet?" JJ said.

"I try," Dave said modestly. "I also wanted to get you in the mood, as I intend to make love to you for the next several days with a few breaks in between to eat and sleep."

"There was no need to do that, as I'm always in the mood for that," JJ laughed, "but still, I really, really appreciate the gesture."

"Good, that's all that matters," Dave grinned. "Believe me, it was worth it, just to see the way your eyes lit up when you saw what I had arranged while we were having breakfast."

"I don't know how you managed to arrange all this, since you me and Emily were always together."

"I did it while you and Emily were getting dressed, as it doesn't take a man as long to just pull on a pair of pants, a shirt, brush their teeth and hair and so forth," Dave told her.

"Well, I think you look very handsome," JJ said. With a lustful gleam in her blue eyes she suggested. "Why don't I remove that for you, as I think right now I prefer you completely unclothed."

"Absolutely," Dave said enthusiastically, his eyes beginning to gleam just as lustfully as JJ's. "I hope you'll allow me to do the same to you."

"Absolutely," JJ said echoing Dave's words, as she started to unbutton Dave's shirt and once it was, Dave allowed it to slip off his shoulders and then to the floor. JJ almost drooled at the sight of her mate's naked chest, but continued to remove Dave's clothes, by unbuttoning his pants and then pulling the zipper down, where she then took the waist in her hands and pulled them down until they were past his hips where they just naturally fell to the floor.

Dave stepped out of them, after toeing off his shoes and socks, so he stood almost totally naked except for a pair of black silk boxers.

"Well, I think it's time I did the same for you," Dave said silkily, pressing his body against JJ's still clothed one so she could feel his already diamond hard cock pressing on her lower stomach. "This is all for you, my lovely minx and I can't wait to be sheathed in your gorgeous body."

"Well then, I suggest you undress me, so we can get started," JJ said her tone sensual and eager.

"It will always be something that I will always take great pleasure in doing," Dave said. He started to pull JJ shirt up, where she accommodatingly raised her arms so he could pull it over her head.

"Well, a bra that fastens in the front," Dave said smilingly, as he undid the clasp, where JJ let it drop to the floor. "It sure is convenient."

"It's just easier," JJ said. "Of course, if I had bigger boobs I would have to get one that fastened in the back."

"I love you just the way you are," Dave told JJ sincerely, making sure that JJ knew that he meant his words he tenderly kissed her. "You're just perfect."

JJ blushed at the compliment as Dave undid her pants, pulled down the zipper and then pushed them past her hips, just as she had done for him a few minutes ago.

JJ slipped out of her shoes, so that just like Dave she was totally naked, except for her very pretty panties, in a deep blue that had lace around each leg as well as the waist.

"Well, I certainly appreciate the view," Dave said, as he looked at the deep blue panties, that were very small, almost minuscule.

"Emily and I bought them that day we went shopping back in Chula Vista," JJ smiled.

"I don't think we'll make it to the bed," Dave told her seriously but with a intense, lustful expression, as he gently scooped her up in his arms carrying her over to where there was a deep, soft rug that was in front of the fireplace before putting her down gently.

"Fireplace on!" Dave ordered gruffly and immediately there was a fire in the grate, blazing away.

Dave got down beside her and instantly begin to caress every inch of her bare skin, simply running his finger over it, feeling the velvety softness.

JJ begin to immediately whimper at Dave's loving, tender touch and started to wither beneath him as her mate continued to explore her body with only his hands. Finally, Dave kissed her softly, forcing his tongue past her lips so he could explore her luscious, full mouth.

Even as he kissed her, his hands continued to move up and down her body stroking her secret, inner places, getting some of her juices on his finger, and then licking them off right in front of her.

JJ thought that was one of the most erotic things she had ever seen and wanted more, as she was simply burning for him. She had never been treated so gently and tenderly before, nor had she ever felt so loved and appreciated as Dave was making her feel. Dave put his fingers inside her again and simply stroked her channel. Dave seemed to know what to do to make her want him desperately and she could already feel her climax starting to build.

Dave made love to her slowly, sensually, tenderly and gently, so by the time they both came Dave was buried inside her body all the way to the hilt when they were both panting in desperation for release.

"That was absolutely wonderful," JJ sighed contentedly, as she cuddled into her mate's side.

"We're just getting started, beautiful," Dave said his voice full of sexual promise. "This was just the first round of what's going to be a very long night."

"You're going to have to feed me somewhere in there, as that wonderful breakfast we had isn't going to last forever," JJ told him.

"Already in the plans," Dave told her, smiling at her tenderly, kissing her gently on the side of her neck. "I would never forget to feed, my lovely mate."

"Well, why don't I make love to you while you recover," JJ said smiling feeling her love for this man well up inside her fast, thick and strong.

"Go right ahead, beautiful," Dave told her. "This is an equal relationship, as I've told you before."

"I think you've more than proved that already," JJ smiled. She climbed on top of Dave this time instead of the other way around. JJ began to make love to this wonderful man who had changed her life so much in such a short amount of time, so soon it was Dave who was whimpering and withering beneath her. Finally, JJ positioned herself to where she was over his rock hard cock and slowly sank onto it until he was sheathed in her all the way to the hilt. She then began to rock back and forth, gently at first then harder and faster until Dave was unable to hold back his semen any longer, so allowed himself to release his cock into his mate's beautiful body.

Finally Dave lay there panting and JJ slowly slid off Dave's cock only to lay on his chest.

"That was really spectacular," Dave told JJ.

"I'm glad you thought so," JJ smiled, knowing that Dave was being very sincere. "I'll be happy to do it again sometime."

"I did, I promise," Dave said, as he started to gently make love to her again. "I'll look forward do you doing that to me for the next thousand years or more."

It wasn't long before both of them had multiple climaxes over the next few hours until both just lay there exhausted from their sexual play until they curled up together falling asleep in each others arms on the nice soft rug in front of a blazing fire.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"I have something for you," Dave said, quite sometime later.

"You've already given me so much," JJ protested.

"This is to signify that you're now part of my family," Dave said ignoring JJ's protest. "Emily wears one and so do I, as do all our children."

"It's a family thing then," JJ said and Dave nodded.

"And has great significance," Dave said. "I had one made for you while you were still in Chula Vista, so that I could present it to you at the right time."

"So where is it?" JJ asked.

"I hid it in my underwear drawer," Dave admitted. "I'll get it, just as soon as I can convince myself to move from my very comfortable position."

JJ giggled at that, because it was true both of them were now lying on the massive bed in the biggest bedroom of the suite. Dave had made love to her several more times in the bed, just as he had in front of the nice warm fire on a nice thick rug. Both of them were so sated and relaxed that if she didn't want to move she couldn't blame Dave for not wanting to either.

"You really gave my body a work out," JJ said, stretching luxuriously.

"What can I say? I just couldn't resist, as you're the sexiest woman alive next to Emily, so I just had to lavish your body with as much attention as I could," Dave grinned. "There will be plenty more nights like this I promise you, sometimes with all three of us and sometimes one on one."

"I can hardly wait," JJ said feeling warm and content, her body feeling just a little wrung out, but not as sore as it could be.

There was a few minutes of silence, but finally, Dave rose to a sitting position and swung his legs over the side of the bed testing each one before standing as his body felt absolutely boneless. JJ had done things to him, Dave closed his eyes as his memory flashed back to how JJ had rode his manhood like a bucking bronco and done several other things to his body that he was looking forward to having repeated often.

Finally, Dave managed to stand and walked slowly towards the dresser he had been using, his legs feeling like water, in fact, his whole body did. Finally though, he made it and opened his underwear drawer and found the jewelry box buried under quite a few pairs of boxers.

Dave closed the drawer and made his way back to the bed.

"Here you go, sweetheart," Dave said after he had climbed back in beside JJ.

JJ took the box and knew it was either a necklace or bracelet because of the shape, but she said nothing as she opened it.

"Oh! It's exquisite!" JJ exclaimed, as she touched the delicate necklace.

"I'm glad you like it," Dave said pleased. "This is a Rossi crest which has been around for at least 2000 years."

"So what do all the symbols mean?" JJ asked.

"Well, the red background in two of the quadrants means warrior, martyr, military strength, magnanimity and the blue in the other two quadrants means truth and loyalty, especially to those we love. The sword in the upper red quadrant means justice and military honor. The eagle represents a person of noble nature, strength, bravery, and alertness; or one who is high-spirited, ingenious, quick-witted, and judicious. The wings which are displayed, signify protection. The Lion on the other red quadrant means dauntless courage. Finally, the Cross Maltese, meaning it has eight points, means blessings and was also the original badge of the Knights of Templar," Dave explained. "This Crest has been in my family since the Crusades and some of my ancestors actually participated in them."

"Wow! This is really special," JJ said, as her fingers gently stroked the beautiful necklace. "It's absolutely gorgeous."

"I'm glad you like it so much," Dave said smiling. "Emily has the exact same one and so do I."

"I would think a ring would be more masculine," JJ said.

"It might be," Dave agreed, "but when Emily and I decided on jewelry with the Rossi crest something so obvious would likely have gotten us in trouble. There were some very dark times a few hundred years ago when we often traveled incognito. We even made our way through a war zone more than once and let's just say wearing an expensive piece of jewelry that was highly visible would have been dangerous. Now, I could have a ring made, since times have become more peaceful, but I don't mind wearing a necklace as men do that all the time nowadays and its not really visible unless I take it from under my shirt."

"I hadn't thought of it like that," JJ said.

"Most people don't know much about the past as they prefer to remain firmly in the present and there's only so much you could learn from the history books anyway. As I'm sure you now realize, it's very different for those that have experiences such things for themselves. Here let me put it on you," Dave offered and JJ raised her blonde hair, so that Dave could put it around her neck and did the clasp without her hair getting in the way.

"Thank you, Dave," JJ said, kissing him.

"Believe me, you're quite welcome, sweetheart," Dave said. "It looks lovely just laying there between your breasts. You're a Rossi now, even if I can't marry you and Emily at the same time."

"I thought you and Emily already were married?" JJ asked confused.

"We were, but that was back when we were like 16, so no records of our marriage likely exists anymore and they definitely wouldn't be on computer, since they didn't exist yet. Emily and I could marry again at some point and we might end up doing that, but that's for later. Even if our records still existed and somebody besides another Immortal found them there's no way that they would connect us to that Dave and Emily. No, it would be assumed that it was another Dave and Emily Rossi, likely ancestors of ours, but they would never believe that we could possibly be the same people, as nobody lives more than six centuries."

"So we could get married," JJ asked, the idea thrilling her deep inside.

"If that's what you wanted I would be willing," Dave said. "Yes, technically, I'm already married, but whatever record there was has likely long since turned to dust, so the only ones who know are you, me and Emily and also our parents and grandparents and other family do to, but they won't say anything."

"What about Emily though," JJ asked biting her bottom lip. "I feel guilty for throwing her out of our suite, even though she told me not to."

"Emily won't care one way or the other," Dave told her. "Emily Prentiss Rossi is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She knew this was bound to happen once we got back together, so she likely rented another nice hotel room at a different hotel of course. When we're ready for her to return she'll simply check out and come back."

"Well, okay," JJ said her guilt fading.

"There's no need to feel guilty, because I'm going to spend individual time with each of you over the centuries. I'll take you out to dinner on your different anniversaries perhaps to the theater to a play or to the opera. We might even take a couple of days away, just the two of us depending on whose anniversary it is," Dave said. "Well, ready for some dinner?"

"More than ready," JJ said. "All that lovemaking, the way you made my body climax again and again made me ravenous."

"I've already got everything arranged I just need to call and tell them to get it ready," Dave said.

"You really are the most romantic guy on the planet, aren't you?" JJ asked smiling at the man she loved.

"It comes naturally when I have two women I love to the depths of my very soul," Dave told her being completely serious. He kissed her tenderly for awhile before he finally forced himself to break away.

"Well, you certainly made my homecoming very special," JJ said smiling.

"That was my intent," Dave said, as he took out his cell phone apparently already having the number programmed in. Once somebody answered Dave talked for a minute and then hung up. "The food should be here in a few minutes, so my lady, what are you want to do until then?"

"Well," JJ said smiling, which she knew she was doing an awful lot of lately, but then she was in such a happy place, so why shouldn't she? "What about this?"

With those words JJ attacked him and Dave wasn't about to object as his mate kissed him passionately. The two of them necked quite heavily until there was a knock on the door and Dave broke of the kiss, though it was obvious he didn't want to. Dave put on his robe, which was laying on a chair and then went to answer the door after making sure that the belt was cinched to cover up his naked body.

JJ stayed where she was, but heard Dave talking to the waiter, although she couldn't make out the words, as it was too soft. Finally though there was the sound of the door closing and the rolling of a food trolley into the room.

"Is it safe to come out yet?" JJ asked, just to make sure that Dave was the only one in the living area of the suite, as she didn't want to bother to get dressed or even put on a robe.

"Yes, the waiter's gone, so why don't you come and see what I ordered for supper?" Dave called and JJ immediately rose from the bed and headed into the living area of this suite.

"Well, this is nice," JJ said, as she saw the setup.

"I thought we could eat in front of the fire unless you have other ideas," Dave said.

"No, eating in front of the fire sounds great," JJ said, as she sat down on the same rug that she and Dave had made love on earlier. "Very romantic actually."

"That was the general idea," Dave said, as he brought the trolley over to the fireplace.

"Well, let's see what you ordered for our romantic dinner," JJ said smiling.

Dave lifted the lids on all the dishes after placing them on the rug in front of JJ before sitting down himself.

"It looks wonderful," JJ said, as she snuggled into Dave's side.

"It sure does," Dave said. "Well, shall I feed you, my lady?"

"Of course," JJ agreed, "so long as you allow me to do the same."

Dave started to feed JJ tidbits of food while JJ did the same for Dave. It was a very romantic meal as they shared kisses in between bites.

"Well, while that was great I'm certainly stuffed," JJ said patting her tummy laying down on the rug her head pillowed on her arms.

"It was a great meal and what made it even greater was sharing it with you," Dave said, as he put the dishes to the side and lay beside JJ. "How about a little nap before I make love to you again?"

"Sounds like something we both need," JJ yawned.

"Sleep then, I'll be here when you wake, I promise," Dave told his mate gently running a hand through her blonde hair.

JJ said nothing and simply closed her eyes and curled up into Dave's side dropping off to sleep nearly immediately.

Dave watched her for a few minutes, but since he was also exhausted he closed his eyes and with one arm protectively over JJ's stomach he too dropped off to sleep.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	7. Chapter 7

Part 7

"Well, it looks like you two really enjoyed yourselves," Emily said smiling, as she entered the suite looking at all the flowers that were still alive and thriving four days later.

"It was absolutely wonderful," JJ sighed. "Dave has got to be one of the most romantic men on the planet."

"I would definitely agree with that statement," Emily said, as she sat beside her sister. "So why don't you tell me all about it, while Dave is busy elsewhere."

"Well, as you know after breakfast we came straight back here," JJ began. "I was looking forward to being alone with him I admit it, as I hadn't seen him in a week and I missed him for all that time."

"Yeah, Dave has that effect on people," Emily said smiling. "He's so intelligent, engaging, a good conversationalist. He pays attention when somebody's talking to him, even if he is bored out of his skull, which makes people want to talk to him about their problems. He genuinely cares about other people, which is pretty rare in what is now the 22nd century, as most people don't think beyond themselves and maybe their family. Most people just don't have Dave's compassion for total strangers. He's also very good at reading people so he usually knows when somebody's trying to snow him and as you said he is very romantic, but only with the two of us. Other women might try to get his attention, but you don't have to fear him every straying,"

"Yeah, that's Dave, alright," JJ said. "When I entered the hotel suite, he'd had somebody arrange all these flowers that you see here, most of which I at least recognize, even if I don't know the names for them. I love flowers, so I really appreciated the gesture and made sure he knew it. After that, we undressed each other and then made love in front of the fire, sleeping there all night after we fucked each other senseless quite a bit. When we eventually woke up we had a nice warm bath together, making love yet again in the water. Finally we moved to the bed and made love quite a few more times. Before that Dave gave me the necklace that he tells me you also wear one."

"Yes, the Rossi crest," Emily agreed bringing forth the same necklace that JJ now wore. "I don't wear it in bed, because the chain at least could very easily get broken as it's very delicate."

"Yes, and Dave explained to me what the various symbols meant before he put it around my neck," JJ said running a finger over the crest gently

"Yes, this crest is a very important part of Rossi family history," Emily agreed. "So what happened next?"

"Well, he asked if I was ready for dinner and I told him yes, because I was starving. I suppose having so many climaxes close together did that to me and he already had everything prearranged and just made one call to tell them to get it ready and send it up," JJ said. "Both of us were totally nude and we necked rather heavily before it got here, but once it did and the waiter had left we had it in front of the fire on the rug, feeding each other little tidbits and sharing a bottle of wine. After that, we took a nap as we were totally exhausted."

"I would be too," Emily said, as she listened to JJ recant what she and Dave had done over the last few days.

"Well, let's just say we woke up and made love yet again and we did varying versions of that over the last four days," JJ said finishing her recitation.

"So I take it you enjoyed yourself then?" Emily asked smiling.

"That's the understatement of the century," JJ decided with a mile wide grin. "We must have made love a hundred times in the last four days. I even rode his cock a few times."

"I've done that too," Emily said. "Have you swallowed his cock yet?"

"Of course, I did that too," JJ admitted looking rather embarrassed.

"No, need to get embarrassed, as we'll be discussing things like this for centuries to come," Emily promised. "I haven't really had anybody to discuss this kind of thing with before, except another Immortal and I'm not close enough to any of them to even bother to try. Besides, I don't see other Immortals very often, except when Dave and I go home to visit our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. Now, you'll just be added to our merry little group, so I guess we become a trio instead of a couple. You don't discuss this kind of thing with somebody's parents or grandparents, even if you're aware that those parents and grandparents still have sex."

"Definitely not," JJ said wrinkling her nose in disgust at the thought. "I don't even want to think about yours and Dave's parents having sex much less your grandparents and great-grandparents."

"Well, you have to remember that they might be ancient, but they don't look it. They look the same age as Dave and I, which means that they're still going to have plenty of energy to...well, you know," Emily said.

"Yes, I know, but I don't want to think about it," JJ said shuddering.

"I don't blame you, because I don't like thinking about it either," Emily admitted. "Call me old-fashioned, but it just seems wrong to me that my parents and grandparents are still having sex. Of course, I don't want them to think about me and Dave having sex either, even if all of us are aware intellectually that we do a lot of that with our mates."

The two women were silent and then Emily asked, "So I take it you enjoyed yourself?"

"Duh," JJ teased her friend. "I would say so, as Dave did things to me that I've never had done to me before and made me feel so special, loved and cherished, even worshiped."

"Yeah, he's good at that," Emily said nostalgically.

"He done it for you before?" JJ asked.

"Many times," Emily assured her friend. "He doesn't do it too often as it would lose its appeal, it's specialness if he did, but once in awhile, every few years he does. Of course, in between times he still makes me feel special, as he has many tricks up his sleeve for that, but he usually saves the type of romantic interlude you just experienced for special occasions usually anniversaries or my birthday, although not always, as he mixes it up. I actually got pregnant once, when Dave set up one of those romantic intervals. The baby, a little boy was born nine months later. That was about 75 years ago give or take a year or two," Emily reminisced.

"Oh, I want child so much," JJ sighed.

"Don't you worry about that right now," Emily said, not unsympathetically. "What happens will happen as Dave told you, but believe me, you're already partly Immortal considering how much of Dave's seed your body has absorbed over the last few days. I mean if you really did make love 100 times or even if it was only 50, you're still well on your way to being just like Dave and I are."

"Does that mean it will take less than a year?" asked JJ curiously.

"I can't answer that, because I don't know," Emily admitted. "It's possible, but still..."

"Dave's going to do with the old-fashioned way just to make sure," JJ finished.

"Yep," Emily grinned. "It's not like you won't enjoy those experiences."

"Now that's the honest truth," JJ giggled. "I definitely wouldn't mind a repeat."

"What woman would when she's being wined, dined and romanced?" Emily asked rhetorically. "You can expect variations of the same theme over the next thousand years."

"It sounds wonderful," JJ said. "I didn't think they were any men like Dave left on the planet. Ones who are gallant, chivalrous, romantic to the core, meaning it's just the total part of their personalities and also a true gentleman. They aren't very many true gentleman around anymore."

"No, there's not," Emily agreed

"I guess we both just lucked out and got one of the last remaining knights of old as our mate," JJ grinned.

"I think that description fits Dave perfectly," Emily laughed delightedly. "He's like one of the knights of Arthur's roundtable."

"I've never read those books, but I did see the newest remake of Camelot and I have to agree with you," JJ said.

"You've never read King Arthur and his Knights of the Roundtable?" Emily asked pretending to be scandalized. "It's a classic and you really do need to read it."

"Well, that's the sort of thing that's never interested me, although I did read a Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, Wuthering Heights and classics like that," JJ said.

"Yes, I've read those to," Emily said. "They don't really write them like that anymore. Still, I do enjoy a good romance novel."

"Who doesn't?" JJ asked.

"Men," Emily told. "Most men won't go near any movie that's a romance or read a book that has a lot of romance in it."

"Their loss," JJ shrugged.

"Oh, well, all people have their faults, not just men," Emily said philosophically

"Absolutely," JJ laughed enjoying talking to another woman, about things she hadn't been able to talk to her girlfriends about when she had lived in Chula Vista, as they hadn't had that close of a relationship. She had only known Emily for a few weeks and yet she felt far closer to her then the women she had been casual friends with for three years. Part of that was likely the bond JJ knew, as just because she and Emily hadn't had sex and never would didn't mean that there wasn't a bond between them through Dave. Still, Emily was a genuinely likable woman, intelligent, compassionate, kind, fierce, brave, courageous and fiercely protective of those she loved, which were traits that JJ could definitely admire.

"So what do you want to do tomorrow?" Emily asked.

"Well, it doesn't really matter to me, but maybe all three of us could go out on kind of a date, you know what I mean. I know we have got to act just like friends in public and everything, but I don't know why we can't go to a vid or something sit in the back, maybe do dinner or something afterwards."

"That's actually a very good idea," Emily said. "Dave won't object I promise you. In fact, he'll likely see it as progress on your part to not just sleeping together, but Dave having sex with both of us in the same bed instead of one of us being in another room or elsewhere."

"I am making progress in that area," JJ said. "To me, making love has always been a private thing, which is what I'm getting stuck on. It would be like doing it in front of 100 people, even if it's just you."

"Both Dave and I understand your reservations, as that's the way you were raised," Emily said. "A man with more then one wife just isn't done, except among Muslims and also the Mormons. In the Muslims case, I doubt very much that the wives all sleep in the same room and they likely take turns sharing their husband's bed as they probably have their own rooms for privacy. Of course, I could be wrong about that, but I don't think I am. Sometimes it just takes awhile to shake your childhood, especially things that become deeply ingrained, but both Dave and I think you're making good progress and we won't push you until you're ready. I truly believe, that once you have sex with Dave with me there and even participating, or Dave having sex with me and you doing the same you will never be able to go back to insisting on privacy after that."

"I think I'll be ready soon," JJ said thinking about it. "Right now, we're still working on our dynamics. Maybe in a few weeks, once we learn more about each other."

"I think it can wait until after the baby is born," Emily said patting her stomach. "It won't be long now."

"No, it's less than three months now," JJ said smiling. "At least you'll have plenty of help to take care of him or her."

"Yeah, getting up several times a night is no fun," Emily said. "I ought to know. To be fair, Dave does his share, he seems to actually relish looking after our little one and doesn't seem to care about his sleep being interrupted."

"So we'll take turns and now I know Dave will do his part so that we all get adequate sleep," JJ said. "I'm really looking forward to being an aunt, especially since it's only going to happen once every 70 years or so."

"Well, at least we get a lot of decades in between raising children, even if I would like several at one time," Emily said. "Oh, well, I got over the fact that I can only have one every 7, 7 1/2 decades a long time ago. I can understand why Ilithyia arranged things the way she did, because if Immortals were constantly having children, since we never get too old to do so, well, we would soon outnumber the mortals. Not every Immortal would be responsible and find ways to prevent pregnancy back before contraceptives were so common and even today we have irresponsible Immortals who wouldn't care how many children they had and wouldn't even think about spreading them out. You know, have three or four and then don't have any for 20 or 30 years."

"Yes, I know what you're saying," JJ said. "Since Immortals can have children all their lives I can definitely understand why Ilithyia did what she did to limit the number you could have."

The two of them continued to talk and giggle for quite awhile before Dave finally got back to their suite.

"Well, it's nice to see you two lovely ladies enjoying yourselves," Dave told them smiling.

"Oh, yes, we've been having a grand old time just chatting," Emily told him. "Now that you're back though, I think maybe the three of us should watch a vid or something together."

"That's fine with me," Dave agreed easily. "Spending time with two lovely ladies is hardly a hardship."

Both Emily and JJ looked at each other, a message seeming to pass between them and then got up and walked over to Dave kissing him on opposite cheeks causing him to grin at them.

"Well, that's quite a welcome home," Dave said grinning from ear to ear.

"Did you happen to find a condo we good with so we can get out of this hotel?" Emily asked.

"I did and we can move in as of tomorrow and it's already furnished which was a requirement, since none of us wanted to spend days doing furniture shopping," Dave said. "It should do well as a temporary home for the three of us and there's even an extra room for the baby."

"Good," JJ said, "as I really want to get out of this hotel, you know?"

"Yeah, I know it's not private enough no matter how nice it is," Dave agreed. "This condo will be a nice little nest for the three of us and for the baby once it gets here and is in a part of town where soundproofing is common, so nobody will be able to hear us when we make love due to thin walls. So what vid would you ladies like to watch? Anything but a romance."

"No we were thinking more along the lines of an action/adventure flick," JJ promised.

"That sounds perfect," Dave said relieved that they weren't going to force him to watch a chick flick. They could, as they had that power and knew it, but it looked like they were going to let him off the hook this time.

"No, we'll save the chick flicks for when it's just the two of us," Emily promised.

"Well, just let me go get out of my shoes and change into something more comfortable to lounge around in, then I'll be ready," Dave said.

"We'll be waiting," JJ said, as she kissed him on the lips, Emily doing the same a second later.

Dave walked into the master bedroom with a goofy grin on his face.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

Two and a half months later

"He's a cutie," JJ said, as she held Emily's baby, which had just been born. Luckily, the birth had been smooth and easy and they hadn't had to call a doctor or anything.

"Yes, he's beautiful," Emily agreed. "It looks like he's going to a have my brown hair, but he has the beginning shape of Dave's nose and the shape of his eyes."

"But he has your mouth, cheekbones and stubborn chin," Dave said, smiling.

"It doesn't matter he's still going to be a handsome devil once he gets older," JJ grinned.

"So, are we still set on naming him Anthony?" Dave asked Emily.

"Yes, that's the name we decided on," Emily said.

"Anthony Michael Rossi," JJ said.

"Our little Tony," Emily said.

"You get some sleep," Dave told Emily gently. "You've earned it. We'll take care of Tony until you wake up."

"He'll need to be fed again though," Emily said.

"You have at least a couple of hours until then," Dave told her. "Get some sleep and one of us will wake you so you can feed him and then you can go back to sleep afterwards."

"Alright," Emily gave in, because she was absolutely exhausted. She had just been through over eight hours of labor and though it was certainly faster than the first time she had given birth it had still been tiring.

"You know we have a nursery all set up," JJ told Emily. "You don't need to worry about anything. Dave's right, you need to sleep, as giving birth is exhausting."

Emily nodded leaning back not even caring that the sheets were covered in blood as well as hers and the baby's fluids.

"We'll change the sheets once you wake from your nap," Dave promised. "That's why we bought extra we knew this would happen. We'll toss the old ones in the garbage."

JJ believed that they should try to clean the sheets instead of just throwing them away, but she knew better than to argue. Besides, it would probably be impossible to get all the blood out of them so it was probably just as well. Even in the 22nd century blood was a nearly impossible to get out of cloth, particularly silk like the sheets, so though it went against her grain to throw something that might be reusable away, she could understand it and it wasn't like they were poor.

Dave and JJ left the room with little Anthony as soon as Emily had fallen asleep.

"I'll just go put him in his crib," JJ said, as she cradled the little boy tenderly in her arms.

"I'll help you," Dave said.

The two of them walked into the room that had been set up as a nursery, and JJ gently placed Anthony into his crib, watching him as he stayed asleep.

"He's an absolute miracle," JJ said softly, stroking his tiny head gently.

"Yes, he is, but then giving birth is a miracle," Dave said just as softly, so he didn't disturb his sleeping son. "Why don't we go into the living room and let our son sleep."

"Our son?" JJ questioned as soon as they had left the room closing the door gently behind them.

"He's just as much your son, as he is Emily's and mine," Dave told her firmly. "I know you didn't give birth to him or anything, but still, you'll be just as much his mother as Emily will be. Besides, family isn't always about blood, it's about connecting with somebody so closely that you start to consider them family whether that's as a sibling or a son or daughter, an aunt or uncle or even a grandparent. I know you think of Emily as a sister now and you know she thinks of you the same way. Well, Tony will be just as much your son as he will be Emily's and whenever you have kids Emily will definitely think of our son or daughter as hers as well. Trust me, you won't be able to stop her."

"You're right," JJ said. "I'm already starting to consider him my son as well as Emily's."

"And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that," Dave told her. "Our son will be really lucky to have two mothers as well as a father that will adore him, who will watch him grow and accomplish great things, watch his first step, hear his first word and it doesn't matter if his first word's mama or papa or something else altogether. We'll also be here when he finally introduces us to his mate, although I know that's likely centuries away, but it will happen. Between the three of us we'll spoil him rotten."

"Have any of your children found their mate's yet?" JJ asked.

"No," Dave said shaking his head. "Or if they have they certainly haven't told me or their mother about it."

"It's not the kind of news you keep to yourself, so I'm sure you would've heard if any of them had," JJ said.

"Yeah, you're right, which means none of them have met their mates. Not at all unusual really, as some find their's relatively quickly and for others it takes a long time, decades even centuries. I was lucky that Emily was one of my mates and we grew up together knowing that one day we would wed, but it doesn't happen like that very often. Most Immortals also only have one mate instead of two or more, so that's probably why they have to spend centuries looking for them. Ilithyia never makes anything easy, because that would make many Immortals lazy."

"Me being a case in point," JJ giggled. "I mean, you and Emily had been together 600 years before I was even born."

"At least I had Emily, to stop me from being too lonely and a lot of Immortals are not so lucky. Oh, we both knew something was missing and that was you, but still, it was better than being totally alone," Dave said, kissing JJ tenderly and JJ for her part absolutely melted against him, feeling her heart give a little pitter-patter.

Dave didn't mention that they had one more mate to find, though that time was approaching fast for him and Emily to reveal that tidbit. He and Emily had figured they'd tell her after she was Immortal, as she would be able to feel that blankness that would only be filled with their last mate, but that time was only nine months away, not long at all really and it might be sooner, considering how much sex they had been indulging in.

"Most Immortals when they're young go out and explore the world, you know? I mean we're basically human after all, in the way we mature, not agewise, but mentally and emotionally. The more life experiences you have the more emotionally mature you become and the more your thinking processes change. Depending on the experiences it turns some Immortals into more thoughtful, compassionate people, instead of them being brash and not thinking about their actions. Others just like humans never change or mature, but stay the same mentally and emotionally just like they were when they were kids or worse they decide that stealing, rape or murder is the way to go, which only gets them in serious trouble with Ilithyia and the gods."

"But it's their choice," JJ reminded him. "If they lose their Immortality, because of their actions, well, they're the only ones culpable. After all, they chose on their own free will to do something so heinous and no one forced them into it by threatening them or someone they love or holding a weapon to their throat. I strongly believe in seeing justice done, as too many criminals either get off, are never caught or don't get enough time in prison. From what you've told me I believe that those Immortals got what was coming to them, as there has to be some sort of punishment for such crimes and really Ilithyia ignores a lot of things that are considered crimes by mortals. Of course, they could still be caught by law enforcement, but you get the point."

"That's very true," Dave agreed. "Really, there are only a few very serious crimes that will see you lose your Immortality. Of course, if you end up in prison for more than a few years you'll lose your Immortality then as well, because we can't afford to be found out by mortals. Ilithyia strongly disapproves of an Immortal committing any kind of crime unless there are extenuating circumstances, but she doesn't punish you for them, because Immortals aren't perfect, just as mortals aren't."

"So what do you want to do for the next couple of hours while Tony and Emily are sleeping?" JJ asked.

"Well, I don't think it's a good idea for us to get involved in making love, so perhaps, we could just watch a vid or something," Dave suggested

"Yeah, that's probably best," JJ agreed. "Or we can read books side-by-side."

"I think the vid will do for now," Dave said, "as I just want to put my arm around you and I can't do that if I'm reading a book."

"That sounds perfect," JJ said. "Don't be surprised if I fall asleep during it though I'm pretty tired."

"I don't blame you there, as you did just help deliver our son," Dave said. "A woman giving birth is just as stressful on the people who help her, as it is on the mother. Go ahead and fall asleep if you feel like, I might just join you there."

"Well, let's get that vid started, shall we?" JJ smiled kissing Dave on the cheek. "It doesn't matter if we fall sleep watching it, as it's on the movie channel anyway we can just watch it again."

"So let's get started," Dave said, as the two of them walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Dave turned on the vid screen and they both selected the movie together, before they sat snuggled together as they watched.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"I'm ready to take the next step in our relationship," JJ told Dave and Emily seriously several days after the birth of Tony.

"You are?" Dave asked getting a massive grin on his face.

"I am," JJ told him firmly

"You're sure?" Emily asked JJ who nodded.

"I'm sure," JJ said. "I just had to get used to the idea, because it is not exactly what is considered the norm, not among mortals anyway."

"No, it's not," Dave agreed smiling. "Unless, of course, you are Immortal as having more than one mate does happen sometimes, so the concept isn't as strange to them, as it is to mortals."

"Some mortals used to do it to, the Church of Latter-Day Saints for example," JJ said. "Or they did until the government stepped in and forced it to stop. From what I've read people weren't pleased."

"Now that's an understatement, because the government were separating families and the governments even ordered the husbands to choose a favorite wife and then separated him from his other ones as well as the children from those wives and they were ordered never to contact each other again. It was a tragedy, no doubt about it," Emily said shaking her head. "Of course, some people still did it, but they were much less obvious about it."

"Most people don't even realize what happened as it happened in the 19th century," Dave said shaking her head. "Alright, plural relationships aren't exactly the norm, but people should have a right to practice it if they want to, though I am aware that my opinion is probably suspect."

"Since we share that opinion, it doesn't matter," Emily said and JJ nodded.

"No, it doesn't," JJ agreed. "I've been doing some research in my spare time and now know that the concept among mortals isn't as unusual as I first thought. It's not legal, and it's not practiced much anymore, unless it's in secret, but it still happens."

"Which is what helped you reach your decision," Dave said.

"Yes," JJ freely admitted. "I mean you're still having sex with both of us, even if it's not in view of each other, so this isn't very different really."

"No, this is just the next step in the progression of our relationship," Emily said, smiling at JJ with a hint of pride in her expression.

"Well, I can't wait until tonight to put your announcement into practice," Dave grinned. "Unfortunately, none of us have time right now to even think about it or I'd be taking you both to bed."

"Yeah, that's true," JJ said.

"Luckily, we have a house droid that can look after Anthony while we are busy," Emily said.

Droids nowadays were quite common, especially in homes of the wealthy, but some people just didn't like to use them as they preferred humans for such services or to do for themselves. Still, it did come in handy on occasion, like when you were all occupied having sex with each other, because babies still had to be tended and chores still had to be done. Of course, if you weren't going to be present then a lot of people preferred to hire a human babysitter or a live in nanny, but not everyone.

"We probably need to get a nanny droid as they're more capable than one that is programmed to clean the house," JJ suggested.

"Maybe," Dave said. "But we only have one child and the house droid is capable."

"And we don't plan on leaving him for the droid to take care of very often," Emily said.

"If we had two or more children a nanny droid would definitely be something we could use, but since Immortal females don't have children very often..." Dave said.

"Still, it would allow us to go more places and not have to worry about Tony or take him with one of us," JJ said.

"I think it's something to consider," Emily told Dave. "The three of us could leave for a few hours anyway, go to dinner for example or a vid and not worry about Tony being taken care of. If we knew any of the neighbors well enough to trust them with our son it would be different, but we don't. Tony is only a few days old and therefore he can die very easily, as he isn't going to have the healing ability of a grown Immortal as that takes time to develop."

"Maybe you're right," Dave conceded. "I never have liked droids much, but they have improved them quite a lot in the last 50 years."

"Which is why we never use them," Emily teased her mate.

"I prefer doing things for myself," Dave shrugged.

"Why don't you like droids?" JJ asked a little confused, as droids were often convenient to use when you didn't want to clean someplace for example. Of course, not everybody could afford them not even the cheaper ones, but that wasn't true in Dave and Emily's case.

"Think about when we were born JJ," Emily suggested. "There was technology back then certainly, but droids were a concept that hadn't even been thought of yet, much less have the technology or the know-how to build. No, that took many, many years, several centuries actually. Yes, droids can be incredibly convenient if you don't want to clean for example they'll do it for you, but still, some people just don't like them very much."

"Okay, I understand that," JJ said finally. "You weren't born in the 22nd century and while you don't mind most technology droids just kind of creep you out."

"We just believe in the concept of doing things ourselves that's all," Dave said. "We do use a droid to clean, so we don't have to worry about it, but it's always done after we are down for the night or gone for the day."

"I didn't know that," JJ said. "You would think I would have realized that a droid was cleaning the condo while we were sleeping, well, all except for the master bedroom."

"Which it does when we're gone for the day," Emily said.

"Or if we don't leave, it just doesn't activate as droids have sensors to be able to tell when no one is present. Really, all they do is dust and vacuum and things like that as we usually pick up after ourselves as none of us is the sloppy type," Dave said.

"Some people like to use droids, for everything but that's not us," Emily said. "Occasionally though, they do come in handy."

"And at least a droid can't disapprove of our relationship like a human domestic can," Dave added.

"Really, we never live somewhere big enough to require a droid on a constant basis," Emily said. "I mean it's only the three of us plus Tony and since we all sleep in the same bed we really don't need that much space."

"If we could have children more frequently than we do, then it would be different, but I just prefer doing things for myself for the most part anyway," Dave said.

"Alright, I understand that," JJ said finally. "I now understand that you don't like droids much and I also understand better why that is. You just don't see them as necessary, because you prefer to do things for yourself, except clean. It's the way you were raised."

"Well, who likes to clean?" Dave asked rhetorically smiling. "My prejudice probably comes from the fact that even 50 years ago droids weren't exactly very reliable, as they were still improving the technology, but still, I always fear that something will go wrong with them when we're not here to prevent an accident. I don't mind most technology as it's just a natural progression of a species, but droids that can basically think for themselves because they are programed that way is not something I can really get behind."

"Besides, they're way too easy to reprogram, something most people don't think about," Emily told JJ. "Yes, we have excellent security, but still, someone could break in here, harm Anthony or worse and also steal everything valuable we own."

"So I see we're go have to hire a human nanny then," JJ said.

"Droids are okay so long as we're in the house," Dave said.

"And yes, we can replace anything valuable stolen, but still, Anthony is not going to be left with a droid unless we're actually in residence, just busy elsewhere," Emily said.

"We don't flaunt our wealth, but still, people can be incredibly dishonest and also violent, so why take the chance?" Dave said.

"Yes, I suppose that you would be more aware of human nature than most people," JJ said thoughtfully. "I never thought about it that way before and you do hear about people being robbed all the time and the droids being reprogrammed to prevent their memories from being used as evidence."

"Which doesn't work very often, unless the hard drive of the droid is wiped completely clean, because the electronics detective division is very good at finding something that has been supposedly erased," Emily said.

"Well, let's finish breakfast and go about our day," Dave said finally. "I am now seriously looking forward to tonight. However, if you change your mind between now and then let us know and we won't go through with it until you're ready."

"I won't be changing my mind," JJ told Dave and Emily. "I've been thinking about it seriously over the last few weeks of Emily's pregnancy, but I didn't want to say anything until Tony was born. Now that he has been and Emily has recovered from the long labor I thought it was time."

"Yes, I certainly haven't been up to much sex in the last couple of months," Emily admitted, "and when I was it was extremely difficult, because I was as big as a house."

"We managed," Dave said smiling. "I'm well used to your size when you're pregnant, so I've had plenty of time to figure out a way for us to enjoy ourselves, even while you were carrying our child."

"Yeah, you certainly brought me to my release," Emily agreed giggling.

"Well, it's good, you're getting your practice in, because hopefully, I'll be pregnant in a few decades and you'll have to do the same thing once I get in my last trimester," JJ said grinning.

"I'm looking forward to it," Dave said grinning in return. "It requires a little extra work, but I don't really care about that as anything worth doing is worth working for."

"Absolutely," Emily grinned causing JJ to laugh.

JJ suddenly realized that she had been very lucky and that she was totally in love with both Dave and Emily just in different ways. Emily was the sister she'd had never had and Dave was the love of her life, even though she realized that he, while totally devoted to her, also loved Emily in that way. However, that was okay with her, as she could not be jealous of Emily at all, or of Dave loving her, probably because she was so nice and allowed her private time with just Dave and her. No, she wasn't jealous of Emily's relationship with Dave and she knew that Emily wasn't jealous of her relationship with Dave either.

The thing was that she never had been jealous of Emily, not even when she had still been fully mortal. She'd had to accept some awfully strange concepts over the last six months or so, but it had been more than worth it

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8

Five years later

San Francisco

Condo

JJ stared at the pregnancy test in astonishment. If this was right she was pregnant, something she hadn't been expecting to happen for another 65 or 70 years, since both Dave and Emily had told her that Immortals didn't get pregnant easily.

They would have to have it confirmed of course, but she couldn't help hoping that the pregnancy test was correct. She had wanted children so bad with Dave, but she had put it to the back of her mind knowing what it would happen or it wouldn't. She had been feeling sick for the last few weeks and knew that she couldn't be coming down with anything because Immortals didn't get sick, so there had to be another explanation. Finally it occurred to her she might be pregnant, but she hadn't dared hope, because it was much too soon, decades too soon, but if the pregnancy test was right then Anthony was going to grow up with a sibling.

She couldn't wait to tell Dave and Emily and she knew they would insist that she go to the doctor to have it confirmed. She knew that Dave would be ecstatic and probably spoil her rotten just like he had Emily when Anthony was on the way.

She wondered briefly why she had gotten pregnant after just five years. Maybe Ilithyia was watching over her and knew that she wanted children so badly with Dave, that she had decided to grant her one much sooner then would have otherwise been possible.

JJ exited the bathroom and looked around at what had been her home for almost six years, but knew that if she was indeed pregnant they would have to get something bigger, as there was only one extra room that was for their son.

"Everything okay sweetheart?" Dave asked in concern.

"Everything's fine," JJ promised.

"You were in the bathroom for a long time," Emily said studying JJ, seeming to be able to see into her very soul.

"I know and there was as a reason for that," JJ said.

Dave look confused, as there was no way JJ could be sick as she was Immortal now after all, but Emily caught on almost immediately and stared at JJ as if asking for confirmation.

JJ winked at her when Dave wasn't looking and Emily got a massive grin on her face.

"What…" Dave began, then stopped suddenly when JJ pounced on him kissing him passionately.

"What was that for?" Dave asked with a dazed expression once the kiss had broken.

"Because I'm pregnant," JJ told him, producing the pregnancy test.

Dave stared at her and then at the pregnancy test that had a little plus symbol at one end.

"You're pregnant?" Dave asked actually stuttering. "You're pregnant?" Dave repeated, as if he couldn't understand what he was hearing.

"Yes, I am, at least the pregnancy test seems to say I am, so I know we'll have to go to a physician to have a confirmed," JJ said.

"But how..." Dave began.

"Do I need to explain the birds and the bees to you?" JJ teased him.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Dave said finally beginning to recover from the shock he had just received, though it was certainly a pleasant shock.

"Yes, I know that's not what you meant," JJ said more seriously, her eyes sparkling with love and happiness.

"The pregnancy test could be wrong," Emily said. "They are usually pretty reliable though, since this is the 22nd century after all, and such things have been improved on from when they were originally invented."

"Which is why we're going to have it confirmed by a real physician," JJ said. "I would like you to come with me sweetheart."

"Of course," Dave immediately agreed. "I'm as anxious as you are to find out if the pregnancy test you used is accurate. If you are pregnant though, it doesn't explain how it happened so soon as you've only been Immortal for five years. I'm not complaining mind you if it's true, I'm just trying to figure out why it happened."

"Well, I do believe it's true, because I've been throwing up for the last few weeks," JJ admitted.

"And we haven't noticed?" Emily asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It doesn't happen often, and not always in the morning," JJ said. "It never occurred to me that I might be pregnant until last week, so I managed to pick up this pregnancy test to check."

"Of course, it didn't occur to you, because we told you that you shouldn't be able to get pregnant for at least another 65 years," Dave said. "I'm not surprised it took you so long to figure it out."

"I am, because I can't get sick anymore with a cold, the flu or anything more serious. I mean me being pregnant is really the only explanation left, you know?" JJ said. "I really should have come to my conclusion sooner."

"She does have a point," Emily told Dave who nodded.

"Well, you can't be more than three months along. Maybe a little more," Emily said. "You would really be showing otherwise."

"I haven't noticed any pregnancy bump, so I don't think you could be more than three months as Emily suggested," Dave agreed. "Why don't you make that doctors appointment, preferably for today as I'm really anxious to have a confirmed."

"Me too," JJ and Emily said at the same time causing all three of them to laugh and relax from the excitement of the last few minutes.

"I will," JJ agreed. "Right after breakfast I'm starving."

"Now why does that sound familiar?" Emily snickered.

"Probably because you said the same thing quite often when Anthony was on the way," Dave told her smiling.

"Yeah, I did," Emily laughed. "It's pretty amazing that you got pregnant so soon and this means that Tony will grow up with a sibling."

"Breakfast is ready," Dave said, as he served up pancakes, bacon and eggs and fruit.

Everybody sat down and enjoyed their breakfast and none of them could stop smiling for some reason.

Finally breakfast was done and Dave waved JJ and Emily away saying he would do the dishes.

"You go make that call," Dave told JJ gently, excitement in his dark eyes.

"I need to look up some doctors in the phone book first. I never bothered to find me a physician, since I never get sick anymore," JJ said.

JJ got the phone book out of the drawer in the desk and begin flipping through it looking for doctors.

Once she found one, she called and made an appointment for that very day in just a couple of hours.

"We have an appointment in two hours," JJ told Dave.

"I think it's better if I stay here, as we don't want to give the doctor the wrong impression," Emily said. "Just let me know as soon as you do is all I ask."

"As much as I hate her reasoning she's right," Dave told JJ. "You don't bring your wife and another woman to a doctor's appointment unless they are both sick."

JJ and Dave had gotten legally married over 5 years ago now, shortly after Anthony had been born actually, so technically, Dave had two wives now, even if he and Emily had married almost 600 years ago and nobody but them and their close family and friends, all Immortals, remembered it.

"We'll call you as soon as we know," JJ promised. "I would love for you to come along, but unfortunately, I can see both your points of view."

"Yeah, I know," Emily said. "Next time I get pregnant it'll be me and Dave at the doctor's office while you wait."

"And I'll anxiously be waiting for the confirmation, just as you are now," JJ said.

"Well, why don't we all get ready," Dave suggested then added. "Perhaps, you can meet us for lunch after Jennifer's doctor's appointment."

"That sounds like a good idea," Emily said. "Why don't I make reservations at somewhere nice, for around 1 o'clock or 1:30 as you should be done by then."

"Yeah, we really should celebrate," Dave agreed smiling. "I just know the doctor's going to tell us that Jennifer is indeed pregnant."

"I think that too," JJ was happy to agree.

The three of them made arrangements and then headed off to get dressed for the day.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"So what did the doctor say?" Emily asked anxiously, as soon as all of them was seated in a semi private booth, at a very nice restaurant.

"The pregnancy test was right," Dave said with joy and happiness sparkling in his dark brown eyes.

"I am indeed pregnant and almost exactly three months along," JJ added with a humongous grin, as she was so happy.

Emily tried not to squeal at the information, as she didn't want to draw attention to them, but the massive grin on her face told her two mates she was incredibly happy at the news.

"I'm so happy," Emily said. "I never imagined that Tony would grow with a sibling since Immortals have such a hard time conceiving."

"I know, I never imagined this either," Dave agreed smiling rather sappily and JJ nodded smiling hugely.

"I like to believe that Ilithyia is smiling down on us and gave us this special gift," JJ said. "I expected it to be another 70 years, before I had even one child."

"Well, at least this proves that either me turning you Immortal repaired the damage done or the doctors of the time were wrong," Dave said, as he gave JJ's hand a gentle squeeze.

"Yes, that's true, and I'm so happy to be carrying your child," JJ told Dave. "I might've been shocked that I was pregnant so soon, but I'm certainly not unhappy about it."

"All of us were shocked," Emily commented. "I mean I only had Anthony a little more than five years ago after all.

"We are going have to find a bigger place to live," Dave said. "A bigger condo maybe."

"I say we leave California altogether," JJ proposed. "To tell you the truth this is a little too close to home for me, even though we've been here for years. I've always been so afraid of running into someone I know and though it hasn't happened and it probably won't, you never know."

"It won't matter if you do run into someone you know, so long as they don't see the two of us together," Dave said. "Still, I understand where you're coming from, so perhaps, it's time to leave California altogether. It will have to be a decision that we all make though."

"Leaving California is alright with me," Emily said. "We could settle somewhere else, like another big city or perhaps, we can choose somewhere smaller like Chula Vista this time."

"We're going to be to noticeable in a place with only 20 or 30 thousand residents," JJ said. "If it was just me and Dave or you and Dave it wouldn't be a big deal, but two women living with the same man is going to be commented on. Even if we kept our relationship low-key like we're doing here it's going to be more noticeable."

"JJ's right," Dave told Emily who nodded. "Small town people tend to be nosy and love to gossip and while I admit 20 or 30 thousand residents is not that small we're still going to be more noticeable, then a big city like New York for example."

"Well then, why not somewhere overseas?" Emily suggested. "We were living in Rome for awhile and I don't know why we can't go back there. I really loved Rome."

"There's always England or Australia," JJ added.

"Getting a visa isn't going to be too hard if we do decide on another country," Dave mused.

"Doesn't that usually take awhile depending on country?" JJ asked.

"People always respond to money," Dave told her. "We can't really get visas the legal way because we are listed in the computer system and while we could change our names..."

"You don't want to," JJ realized.

"Of course, there's more than one person I'm sure named David Stephen Rossi or Emily Lauren Prentiss or Jennifer Elizabeth Jareau, but still, it's just safer for us to bribe someone. So long as we behave ourselves and don't cause any trouble nobody's going to look too deeply into our backgrounds."

"It's very dishonest, but on the other hand, I knew that this kind of thing would be part of being Immortal, since we need to keep our race secret," JJ said.

"We're not hurting anyone," Emily reminded JJ. "We're not murdering or torturing or stealing peoples life savings. We just can't move to another country the normal way, because we need to keep ourselves low-key."

"We're really not doing any harm," Dave added and JJ nodded.

"No, I suppose not and I know we can't stick to the States for the rest of our Immortal lives," JJ said.

"Well, we could, but then we wouldn't be able to explore the rest of the world and there're so many things out there to see and do," Emily said.

"Well then, I guess I vote for Rome since Emily likes it so much," JJ decided smiling.

"Which is fine, as it's a fascinating and ancient city," Dave said. "Emily and I already have visas and passports and they are still good for another few years, so we'll just have to get them for you."

"But that will still take awhile or at least the passport will," JJ said.

"Well, it will if we do it the normal way," Dave said. "Or I could bribe someone to get it faster."

"I say do it the normal way this time, as it's not like we need to move right away," JJ said.

"Alright, if that's what you want," Dave agreed easily. "You're right, we're not in any hurry and it will give us time to put things in storage and everything else that goes along with moving somewhere new."

The three of them finished their lunches, discussing more normal subjects, although it was mostly based around JJ's unexpected pregnancy, but still, it was a happy mood the saturated the atmosphere of their booth.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

237 years later

New York

A blonde woman lay in bed tossing and turning as she watched a scene that played before her sleeping mind

The scene was of a man with black hair and a goatee that was trimmed and neat along with another blond woman, except she had blue eyes and another woman that had dark brown hair with dark brown eyes much like the man's. Suddenly, she herself, joined this pleasant scene and soon the four of them were talking and laughing.

There was no sound just the scene playing before her sleeping mind, but Penelope also felt very welcomed there. She felt loved and cherished and knew that her destiny was finally upon her.

Several other scenes played out in front of her mind's eye, but finally hours later she awoke, feeling rested and relaxed despite the fact that she'd had dreams all night.

Her dreams had started almost six months ago now and they were always beyond enjoyable and she knew that she and this man whoever he was were meant to be. She knew that her ancestors were showing her, her destiny. A destiny that she would grasp with both hands, as she knew she would be incredibly happy with those people that kept appearing in her dreams.

Some of her ancestors had been seers including her grandfather, but until nearly 6 months ago she had never had a vision. That wasn't to say that none of her children with the man in her dream wouldn't have the talent, but she was really glad she did not. She knew her ancestors were sending her visions of what was going to happen in the very near future, which she wasn't about to avoid since she knew she'd be miserable without those three people in her life.

"Yes," Penelope said to the air speaking for the first time since he had woken up. "I understand. I will happily grasp my destiny with both hands."

The air seemed heavy, as if somebody was listening and when she verbalized her response the very air in her bedroom seemed to lighten considerably.

Penelope then knew that she had given the response that those listening had expected and so that heavy, ponderous feeling had disappeared.

Penelope smiled happily, as she rose for the day as it was about time for her to get up anyway and besides, she needed to pee badly.

Penelope whistled cheerfully, as she used the bathroom, as she prepared herself for the day knowing that her destiny was going to be a very happy one.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Well, ladies we have arrived," Dave said, as he put the final suitcase just inside the door of the hotel they were staying at.

"Yeah, we have," JJ who was just as young and beautiful as she had been when she had first met Dave and Emily said.

"We should find our third mate somewhere in the city, but it's probably not going to be very easy," Dave said.

"With over 36 million people, no, we'll be lucky if we find her in 10 years," Emily snorted in a rather sarcastic mood.

"Think positively," JJ said in a gentle chiding tone. "A well known seer led us here and he was sure that our third mate is here in New York. He said something along the lines of you won't have to find her, she'll find you."

"Yeah, but all he could get as was the last name Garcia and do you know how many Garcia's there are in New York, ones that are female and probably around 30 or a little older or younger. New York with over 36,000,000 people?" Emily asked rhetorically.

"Probably thousands," Dave said. "New York is a lot bigger than Chula Vista was when we found Jennifer."

"I would say so, as Chula Vista was only a little bit over 260,000, so it was relatively small at the time," Emily said.

"You didn't think it would be easy to find Jennifer then either, but then she kind of just fell into our laps," Dave said, as he kissed JJ's cheek affectionately.

"So you expect the same thing to happen two times in a row?" Emily asked an eyebrow raised skeptically.

"Of course not, but we have to go by what the seer said," Dave reminded Emily. "He said that she would find us. Also I think we can eliminate ones under or over 30 and that should whittle the Garcias down quite a lot."

"I think for today, that we just need to relax," JJ suggested gently. "It wasn't that long of a flight true, but still, it wouldn't hurt us to relax, maybe order room service, take a nap, go to bed early. We've all been on edge for awhile, because we all knew we were getting ready to find Dave's final mate, as all the signs pointed to it, but still, nothing is ever easy and it isn't meant to be."

"Yeah, you're right," Emily said. "We'll find her. It might take us the next year or even two, but we'll find her."

"I really don't think it'll take that long," Dave said. "Call it strong intuition. I truly believe the seer when he said that she'll find us, so I think we need to be out and about once we've had a good long sleep and a decent meal."

"Remember any task that is worth doing is worth the effort we put into it," JJ told Emily.

"Yeah, that's true," Emily agreed more calmly.

"I'll order room service while you ladies relax," Dave said.

"Sounds good," JJ said, smiling.

"Yeah, you know what we like," Emily added.

"Yeah, I do," Dave agreed smiling. "You two should go unpack, maybe take a shower, the food should be here in half an hour."

"I do have this new novel I've been wanting to start," Emily said.

Emily Prentiss loved to read whenever she had time for wait and usually she had plenty of free time just to read the latest mystery/thriller or romance, but not lately.

"Well then, you go an do that, as I know that's one of the ways you relax," Dave said smiling. Emily had discovered mystery and thrillers way back in the 19th century and had been hooked ever since. Of course, those early mystery and thrillers had been improved upon in the last several centuries so Emily had no problem with getting lost in a good story. Some of our favorites though were those written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who had created the character of Sherlock Holmes. Even though Emily had read them countless times she always reread them every few years and always enjoyed them.

"I have the newest romance book by one of my favorite authors too," JJ said. "Curling up with a good book for a few hours sounds wonderful."

"Well then, that's what we'll do," Dave said smiling. "We'll have dinner together and then we'll all lay on the bed or somewhere else and enjoy a good book."

"It sounds idyllic," Emily said with half a smile. "We haven't had much of a chance just to sit down relax and read a good book lately."

"No, we've been too busy," Dave agreed. "Still, this is a good time for us to do so and we can even lay on the rug in front of the fire and read our separate stories if we wanted to."

"Clothed or unclothed?" JJ asked mischievously.

"Oh, either is fine with me," Dave said also grinning mischievously. "Just remember if either of you ladies is buck naked I'm more than likely to attack you, so if you want that to happen go right ahead and lay on the rug with no clothes on. Just because we've all been together for well over 200 years, doesn't mean my libido has died down any where you two are concerned."

Both JJ and Emily giggled at that, because it was so true. The three of them had been together for almost 243 years, but that didn't stop Dave from making love to them as often as humanly possible.

"I have enough trouble controlling myself, even when you are clothed, as you deliberately dress provocatively just to get me interested, even if it's unnecessary," Dave added.

"We dress like modern women," JJ told him with a smile. "It might seem deliberately provocative to you, but that's only because you love us and you want us all the time anyway and would even if we dressed like Puritans. You know long sleeves, long dresses that go all the way down to your feet, covering your head with a bonnet to hide your hair. To anyone else we are just normal women dressed for the times."

"We also don't dress half as slutty as some of the women we have seen," Emily added.

"No, you don't," Dave immediately agreed. "You dress with taste and style and some of those women I've seen walking around in public are barely decent and in poor taste at the very least."

"Which a lot of men respond to, because they think more with their dicks then their brains," Emily giggled.

"Now that's the truth," JJ gave a hearty laugh. "That's not Dave though."

Dave smiled at seeing his two mates laugh so freely, as this was the way he loved them best when they were happy and carefree.

"Soon we'll find this Garcia or she'll find us as Randall indicated," JJ said.

"And when we do you'll have your time alone with her just like you did JJ when you first met over two centuries ago," Emily added.

"Meeting Garcia will likely be very different if what Randall said is true," JJ added. "Perhaps the Dave and her can even bond much sooner then we did."

"First off, while I wouldn't mind that at all, this Garcia will have to agree to it," Dave said. "And second I did spend about four days alone with Jennifer, but that was only because we had just been reunited after a week apart."

"You are correct," Emily said with a smile and Dave knew then that Emily memory wasn't faulty, but she had deliberately gotten her facts wrong just so he could correct her, in order to release some of the tension that all three of them were still feeling.

"Still, you'll have your time alone with her, whether that happens right after you meet or later is the only thing up for debate," JJ said. "You had Emily to yourself for 600 years after all, and I know I only got four days, but that's only because you had other obligations and I understood that. Besides, it was very intense and pleasurable four days."

"It certainly cemented the bond between us, made it much stronger much earlier in the process then you and I had any right to expect," Dave smiled broadly, as he remembered that four days so long ago now. He and Jennifer had gotten much closer over the last 243 years, just as close as he and Emily were and the bond between Emily and JJ was just as tight, just in a platonic, sisterly way instead of sexual.

And the reason I was turned Immortal much sooner then a year. Also a few days alone with Dave while one of us is elsewhere is something we've repeated every so often over the last couple of centuries," JJ grinned.

"It's easy to get stuck in a rut, where we're snapping at each other," Dave told the two women. "These little breaks with one or both of you are very much needed every now and then."

"It's a way to keep our relationship fresh and exciting," Emily said smiling, remembering the last time she'd had a few days alone with Dave while JJ did her own thing.

"It gives us a way to relax and it just be two of us for a few days," JJ added.

"Exactly," Dave said. "We'll just add this Garcia to those little breaks where she gets her time alone once we locate her."

"I really hope this Garcia fits in with us personalitywise," Emily said a little worriedly, biting her lower lip.

"I really don't think that Ilithyia or the other gods would set me up with someone that was just going to clash with you and Jennifer," Dave told her positively. "She has to fit all three of us personalitywise and not cause constant confrontations. No, if she's going to be a mate to me she has to get along with my other two mates. I really don't think you need to worry Emily, because I would hardly be happy and neither would you two, if I was standing between you and Garcia just because you had been at each others throats. I know that she'll fit in with the three of us splendidly, even if it takes her awhile to become fully integrated, just like it did Jennifer."

"Yeah, you're right," Emily said finally thinking about what Dave had said. Dave was right on the money, as she couldn't see Ilithyia setting the three of them up to being at constant odds with this Garcia, so she should fit in with them.

"Well, not always, but in this case I am," Dave told Emily with a teasing smile. "Mates are supposed to fit together, in personality, in their mental processes to where they think similarly, but not exactly the same and in their attitudes. This Garcia will not cause problems between me and you two, because if she does I'll show her the door mate or not, but I really don't believe that will happen. No, we might have a few, bumps along the way, but that's to be expected, especially when we first meet and we are getting to know each other, all four of us. I suspect that you two and Garcia will share many similar interests, although what those interests are at the moment I don't know."

"You're not supposed to know as that's something we need to discover for ourselves," JJ said finally speaking. She had watched as Dave had calmly talked Emily down, from worrying herself to death about what Garcia would be like. Dave was correct in everything he had told Emily, but it had also made Emily think instead of worrying that Garcia would ruin their dynamics.

Personally, she wasn't worried about that at all, because she knew that the gods would never choose someone to be their final mate if she wasn't going to fit in with them in a number ways. After all, she had fit in with Dave and Emily when they had met way back over 200 years ago with little trouble and it hadn't taken long to become integrated into their dynamics that were well-established from over 600 years of being in each other's pockets. In other words, constantly together.

"Well, I'm going to put in that order for some dinner," Dave said smiling, as he watched Emily relax.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Emily said feeling much calmer.

"Well, let's go unpack, shall we?" JJ suggested. "Once we do we can relax and get started on those books we've been wanting to read."

"Yeah, sounds good," Emily agreed smiling a little as the two of them walked into the master suite where Dave had put all the suitcases.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

A week later

"Sir, there is a woman named Penelope Garcia here and she says that you are expecting her," the waiter murmured in Dave's ear.

"I am," Dave said immediately. "I didn't expect her until later though, which is why I didn't inform you, so would you please escort her to our table?"

"Immediately," the waiter said walking swiftly away.

Dave, JJ and Emily were in a high class five star restaurant enjoying a very nice dinner. They had been in New York for precisely a week and suddenly this Penelope Garcia showed up out of the blue. The two of them had been exploring New York for the last few days, as they hadn't been for sometime and all of them had enjoyed seeing the buildings and business that hadn't been there the last time they had visited. New York had grown considerably since the last time three of them had been, which was over a hundred years ago and was even more crowded than it had been back then.

"Well, Randall was right when he said you won't have to find her she'll find you," Emily said in a soft voice. "I just wonder how she did it."

"I'm sure we'll find out," JJ said, as he watched the waiter escort a woman with long blonde hair and who was considerably bustier then her or Emily. She wasn't fat or anything she was just shaped differently, probably bigger boned was all, JJ decided, as Penelope got closer. No, Penelope's weight fit her frame, as there didn't appear to be any extra fat on her body at all, so no, not fat.

"Here you are, Ms. Garcia," the waiter said courteously.

"Thank you," Penelope told the waiter with a beaming smile.

"Yes, thank you," Dave said subtly passing the waiter 50 bucks.

"Thank you sir," the waiter bowed, subtly slipping the 50 into his pocket before departing.

"Why don't you sit down?" Dave suggested.

"Thank you," Penelope told Dave politely.

"Now is time for more formal introductions," Dave said, joy sparkling in his eyes, as he immediately felt the connection that he had with this Penelope Garcia, just as he knew JJ and Emily did, through their connection to him. "As I'm sure you know I'm David Rossi, but you can call me Dave and these are my mates Emily Prentiss and Jennifer Jareau, but she prefers JJ."

"Penelope Garcia," Penelope said, "but you can call me Penny."

"It's very nice to meet you, Penelope," Dave said, thinking it was a lovely name.

"Yes, it is," JJ said, as she shook Penelope's hand and Emily did the same.

"A pleasure," said Emily meaning it.

"Why don't I order you some dinner and you can tell us about yourself," Dave suggested. "That is if you haven't eaten."

"No, I haven't," Penelope said, not admitting that she had been too nervous about meeting her mate to eat.

"Order anything you want," Dave told her sincerely. "The three of us have been waiting a long time to finally meet you."

"After you eat we can talk," Emily said.

"Sounds just fine," Penelope agreed easily.

She had known for six months about Dave, Jennifer and Emily, even though she hadn't known their names. She had been led here, by her visions. Oh, she wasn't a true seer, not really, someone who saw visions on a regular basis, but she did have the gene for it due to her mother through her grandfather on that side of the family.

Her mother hadn't inherited the gift, but since she did carry the gene for it had passed it on to her. She had been getting feelings for years that her destiny was going to be very special indeed, so she had been waiting as patiently as she could as she lived her life. Finally about six months ago she knew it was finally time when she started getting visions of these three.

Normally, she didn't get visions just feelings, feeling she always listened to because they had led her away from getting involved with dangerous characters, like a man who would abuse her for instance. She had always listened to her finely tuned intuition, but she had never expected to start getting visions like her grandfather, as being able to see the future happened by the time you were 11 or 12 and hit puberty.

She supposed it could be said that she had just a bit of the sight, just not a full blown talent. Really, she only had enough to read people and their intentions more accurately then even truth testing could do. She had known that her ancestors were sending her the visions, letting her know where she was to meet this man known as David Rossi and the two women, she now knew were Emily and JJ and that she would be incredibly happy with the three of them, as the visions had told her that much.

Since she had been seeking happiness, since she was a teenager she planned on grasping this opportunity with both hands and she knew she would be treated like a queen as her foresight had indicated as much and it was never wrong. People might ask why she believed in such strange things like ghost and ghouls and she would answer that she was just opened to supernatural things being real.

The real answer though was the fact that her family from her mother's side had had the sight for centuries and that left you open to believe in things that most people would scoff at. Most people couldn't see ghosts, but she could, due to her partial talent. She had never revealed these things to another living soul, well, except her parents, as most anybody else would have considered her delusional at the very least, but she knew she could be totally honest with these three, because while they were human they weren't mortal.

This was something she had come to understand from her visions, but considering her ability to read auras it had confirmed what she already knew as they were much too bright and radiated out several inches from their bodies. Human auras tended to be darker and dimmer, and also various colors to indicate their life experiences and what kind of person they were. That's what her grandfather had told her and she had since proven what he had told her as a teenager was true. Penelope had no trouble remembering what her grandfather had said when she had only been 15, as she used it everyday to read the people she worked with.

Red was the color of fire and blood, so it was associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love. It was a very emotionally intense color, as it also enhanced human metabolism, increased respiration rate, and raised blood pressure. Light red represented joy, passion, sensitivity, and love. Pink signified romance, love, and friendship. It denoted feminine qualities and passiveness. Dark red was associated with vigor, willpower, rage, anger, leadership, courage, longing, malice, and wrath. Brown suggested stability and denoted masculine qualities. Reddish-brown was associated with the harvest and the fall.

Orange was associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics. It represented enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation. Dark orange meant deceit and distrust. Red-orange corresponded to desire, passion, pleasure, domination, aggression, and thirst for action. Gold evoked the feeling of prestige and meant illumination, wisdom, and wealth. Gold symbolized high quality.

Yellow was the color of sunshine and was associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy. It produced a warming effect, aroused cheerfulness, stimulated mental activity, and generated muscle energy. Dull or dingy yellow represented caution, decay, sickness, and jealousy. Light yellow was associated with intellect, freshness, and joy.

Green was the color of nature and it symbolized growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Dark green was associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy. Yellow-green could indicate sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy. Aqua was associated with emotional healing and protection. Olive green was the traditional color of peace.

Blue was the color of the sky and the sea and was often associated with depth and stability. It symbolized trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven. Light blue was associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness. Dark blue represented knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness.

Purple was associated with royalty. It symbolized power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveyed wealth and extravagance. Purple was associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic. Light purple evoked romantic and nostalgic feelings. Dark purple evoked gloom and sad feelings and could cause frustration.

White was associated with light, goodness, innocence, and purity. It was considered to be the color of perfection and meant safety, purity, and cleanliness. As opposed to black, white usually had a positive connotation and could also represent a successful beginning.

Black was associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery and was a mysterious color associated with fear and the unknown like black holes. It usually had a negative connotation such as sayings blacklist, black humor, black death. Black denoted strength and authority; it was considered to be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious color.

Penelope knew that these three were good people because while there was a little black in their auras, there wasn't very much. Dave had a lot of dark red, which meant he was passionate, had a lot of courage, strength and power and probably vigor, but also likely knew how to love and treat a lady right.

There was also a little bit of pink, which meant he was very likely a romantic soul and knew how to truly love someone. He also had quite a bit of blue in his aura which meant he had true depth and wasn't shallow in his personality like so many men and woman were. Also she saw Dave as stable, trusting, that he had integrity and was loyal to a fault to those he loved.

She had no doubt that he had wisdom, confidence to spare, intelligence and knowledge and would always be truthful with her, JJ and Emily, even if he could likely still lie with the best of them when necessary. There was also a lot of white, which told Penelope that he was a good person particularly when combined with the dark blue.

Both Emily and JJ had all the colors she had noticed in Dave's aura, but in smaller quantities for the most part. JJ's had a lot of olive green which me she was the peacemaker of the three, although Penelope didn't doubt that she could be confrontational if the situation called for it. As for Emily she had a lot of red-orange in her aura, which meant desire, passion, pleasure, domination, aggression, and thirst for action. There was also a lot of purple, which signified wisdom dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.

She was less nervous now that she had gotten a solid read on their auras and she knew that she was definitely a lucky lady.

Penelope ordered her dinner and then once the waiter was gone, she said, "Why don't you go ahead and ask me a few questions as I know you're curious. Dinner's not going to be here for a few minutes anyway."

Dave, JJ and Emily looked at each other and then JJ asked, "How did you find us? Or better yet how did you even know about us?"

"Well," Penelope explained sipping the drink she had ordered. "The sight runs in my family, but my mother didn't inherit the gift from my grandfather. However, I do carry the gene for it due to my mother. I'll never be a full seer, as I've never had visions at least not until six months ago. I can however, read your auras and the various colors associated with them tells me a lot about you just from sitting here. I, also a lot of times get a very strong gut feeling about people, which I suppose is part of the gift."

"Alright, we accept that," Dave said finally. "We do believe in seers unlike most people today."

"That was how we knew you were in New York," JJ added, "though Emily figured we'd have a hard time finding you considering that there are over 36 million people in this city."

"Randall who is the seer we went to, told us that we wouldn't have to find you that you find us," Dave added grinning

"Which proved true," Emily said, smiling.

"I knew where my destiny lay," Penelope said simply.

"Alright, you said earlier that you never had visions until six months ago, why the sudden change?" as JJ genuinely interested.

"Well, normally, if someone is going to be a seer the talent wakes up in puberty, you know 11 or 12, or sometimes 13. For a woman that's usually when her menstrual cycle starts, which starts people changing from kids into teenagers. That never happened to me and I'm kind of glad about it, because I've heard having visions, even if it's only every once in awhile can be a pain. In any case, I started having vision and they were always centered around the three of you and also myself. That had never happened to me before then, but it didn't take me long to figure out that my ancestors were likely sending me visions of the future, so I would know about it and accept it when it happened," Penelope explained.

"Alright, the obvious question is, how can you accept so easily the fact that we are not exactly mortal?" Dave asked finally.

"Well, being a seer or at least having seers in your family opens you up to believing in things that others would call you delusional or insane for," Penelope explained honestly. "I believe in a lot of things that other people think are just fantasies from somebody else's imagination. So realizing that you were Immortal, wasn't as hard for me to believe as it would be for other people. I've learned to keep my opinions to myself, so I don't get teased or scoffed at and I do have a rather unique personality according to some people anyway."

"Does that mean you're going to accept eternity with the three of us?" Dave asked. "You don't have to make a decision right now if you don't want to though. It certainly took JJ awhile to really believe what we were telling her and I subtly courted her first."

"Yes, he did," JJ laughed easily, kissing Dave's cheek. "I tried to prevent myself from falling in love with him, because it was obvious that he and Emily were together, as Emily was pregnant at the time."

"We could understand her reservations," Emily said quietly. "Threesomes were not exactly normal back in the 22nd century, you know?"

"They are not exactly normal now either," JJ told Penelope who nodded.

"Yes, I am aware," Penelope told me. "As I said I can read aura and what I see tells me that you are good people with true deep depths to your personalities, which I know comes from your life experiences."

"We could date for awhile, just like I did with JJ, as she had to get used to the idea of a threesome," Dave explained.

"Me and JJ are just the best of friends, sisters really, but there's nothing sexual between us," Emily promised Penelope.

"To me, sex was a private thing and I wasn't sure I could ever do it with anyone watching, much less participating," JJ said, smiling as she remembered. "It took months of us being together to work up to having Emily in the room when Dave and I were going at it and I always left the room when they were having sex. Oh, we slept together and everything, but that's as far as it went for months. That was how I had been raised and it took me awhile to see how they interacted with each other as well as me before I agreed to give it a try. After that though, I've never looked back."

"Well, I'm not going to have that problem," Penelope promised. "I've always been the adventurous sort and I have participated in threesomes several times. I have no problem with showing my assets to others."

"Good," Dave said smiling happily. It was obvious he was extremely pleased at how this first meeting was going.

Penelope ate her dinner while the other three had dessert, but soon they were ready to leave.

"If you're ready, we can take you back to the place we bought just a few days ago, as we've only been here about a week," Dave offered. "It has an extra bedroom you can use if you're not ready to take that final step or we can just take you back to your car and you can go home."

"I'll come with you," Penelope agreed without hesitation. "I'm ready to take that step now and have been for months."

Dave smile beamed at her and Emily and JJ also looked very pleased.

"Good," Dave said his voice incredibly soft and tender on that one word, causing Penelope to shiver in delight at the love and lust in Dave's voice.

Dave gestured to their waiter and asked for the check quietly.

"I can't wait to get you to our home," Dave told her. "I have been waiting a long time to find all three of my mates and that has finally happened. I will love you forever, just as I will Emily and Jennifer."

"I already know you will," Penelope promised him with a tender look in her brown eyes. She was already so in love with this man, and had been for several months, about three months after the visions started actually. She loved JJ and Emily to just not in a sexual or romantic way, but she was looking forward to having two sisters for eternity.

"Well, let's get home," Dave said quietly smiling. "We can take your car and Emily and JJ can drive the other one."

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	9. Chapter 9

Part 9

"Welcome home," Dave said, as he opened the door to the building that JJ, Emily and him had chosen to live in. It was a very nice space, and very private, which had been one of the reasons they had chosen it.

"Wow! This is spectacular!" Penelope said looking around.

"It needs a little work, but yes, it's a very nice space," Dave agreed.

Penelope admired the light oak floors of the entry hall, the high ceiling and the thick beige carpet that was in the living room/den combination. They'd be no chance of getting cold feet on cold winter days with the nice thick carpet in the living area, which likely extended into the bedrooms she could see. Penelope looked into the kitchen and saw all the granite counters and the nice tiled floor in a blue and white check.

"It has a central air-conditioner and heating, as otherwise we wouldn't have bought it, since New York can get quite hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. We'll be nice and toasty in here, when the snow starts to really fly and there's also a nice fireplace to use for those really cold winter nights, even though this place has excellent insulation," Dave explained.

Penelope's explored the living room/den area and saw there was an enormous vid screen with a lot of movies, categorized alphabetically underneath it. There was also several couches recliners and loveseats spread out in that area, made out of of rich golden leather and Penelope could just imagine curling up on one of the couches and taking a nap or working on her computer, with her back against one of the arms.

"So will Emily and JJ be joining us?" Penelope asked noticing that the two women had not yet gotten back.

"No, this first time and it's just going to be you and me," Dave told her. "I had 600 years alone with Emily before we found JJ. We grew up together you see and got married at 16, which for the times was really quite late. We knew we were destined to be together from when we were really young. When we met JJ and she agreed to join us, we had to separate for about a week. Once she met us in San Francisco, I spent about four days alone with her while Emily made herself scarce. Emily was fine with me spending time along with JJ, and in this case, both Emily and JJ will be fine with me spending time alone with you. They'll just check into a hotel for a few days, do shopping or whatever until I call them and tell them we are ready for them to return. I'm always spending individual time with each of them just to let them know that they are special and you'll now be included in that. Besides, really, it's only me you are going to have a sexual relationship with, so they have no need to be present. You can get to know them later, so really, we aren't like traditional foursomes."

"Well, this is a nice surprise," Penelope said smiling turning to Dave. "I didn't expect for it to be just you and me."

"This will be your first time with me and I always try to make that special," Dave said. "Thanks to you just showing up and you not wanting to wait to do this I didn't have time to make any other preparations to make it even better."

"This is just fine," Penelope promised him, as she walked directly into his arms. The two of them begin to kiss tenderly and their first kiss via lips was spectacular, just as it had been with JJ so long ago.

"Here let me undress you since you don't have any other clothes right now," Dave told Penelope smiling, removing her blouse swiftly and draping it over a chair.

"Actually, my suitcases are in the car, since I knew this was going to happen and that I was going to accept your offer immediately," Penelope said making Dave laugh.

"Well, you were certainly prepared," Dave said smiling. "I'll get your suitcases out of the car in the morning, because right now if I'm not inside you soon I'm going to explode."

"Well then, I suggest you remove the rest of my clothes," Penelope stated boldly standing there in just a pair of nice dressy slacks and a bra.

"It will be a pleasure, my lady," Dave said beaming at her from ear to ear, practically radiating happiness.

Dave removed Penelope's bra and slacks swiftly and then ripped her underwear to shreds.

"Well, let's get started," Dave said eagerly, as he guided Penelope towards the fireplace and once there ordered it on.

"I think you're way too overdressed," Penelope told him.

"No time," Dave said his voice extremely strained. He had Penelope sit on the thick, soft carpet that was in front of the fireplace.

Once Penelope was comfortable Dave pulled his pants and underwear down all in one smooth motion to where they tangled around his feet, as he hadn't bothered to take off his shoes.

Penelope almost drooled at the sight of Dave's stiff, hard cock, that was already leaking semen.

"Lay on your back," Dave ordered his voice gruff with his emotions of lust and love.

Penelope did as ordered and waited expectantly with quiet anticipation, as Dave positioned his large cock between her legs.

"Good! You're already wet and ready for me and I haven't done anything to you yet," Dave growled in a pleased tone. Dave positioned himself swiftly and then thrust himself into Penelope's very core almost brutally, knowing that he had no time for foreplay, because if he didn't release himself soon he really was going to explode, just as he had told Penelope a few minutes earlier.

"Ah! That feels so wonderful!" Penelope choked out, as feelings simply exploded inside her, so thick and fast and strong she was surprised that she didn't simply go boom from the pressure, as the human body wasn't meant to feel so many strong emotions all at once.

"You're mine now," Dave growled sounding almost animalistic and extremely possessive, "just as Emily and Jennifer are mine! You're the one that agreed to take our relationship to the next level, even though we had just met."

"Yes, I'm yours, have been ever since I started having dreams of you six months ago," Penelope grunted out, as the feelings inside her seemed to intensify even more.

"Good!" Dave growled still feeling rather possessive. "So long as you remember that, we won't have any problems. If I ever catch you with another man in a compromising position after this, unless you break it off by telling me directly there will be hell to pay."

"That's not going to happen," Penelope said forcing the words past her lips, as she seemed to be having trouble breathing, as the feelings inside her were so intense. She managed to raise her head just enough to kiss Dave directly on the lips passionately, possessively, putting her whole heart into one searing, time stopping kiss, making Dave's cock explode inside her body just a few seconds later and causing her to go over the edge of her climax directly after him.

"Well, that was something else," Dave said finally still panting, once he had significantly recovered from his climax, managing to roll off her.

"Yes, it was," Penelope said, as she rolled over on her side, so she could see Dave better. "That was truly spectacular and I hope we repeat it a lot."

"We will," Dave promised, tenderly kissing her hair. "I meant what I said, you're mine exclusively now."

"I meant what I said to," Penelope said. "I am yours, from now until the end of the world."

"Good, then we are in agreement," Dave said beaming at her. "Once the bond is complete you won't even think about cheating, but that usually takes a year or so, but I discovered with JJ that the more we have sex the faster it happens."

"So you turn someone Immortal through sex?" Penelope asked in amazement.

"Yes," Dave answered. "You need to absorb my seed, quite a bit of it actually, because it carries my lifeforce, my genetics, what makes me Immortal. This is the only way I know to turn someone Immortal, but I'm not about to have sex with a total stranger just because they want to be like I am."

"You better not," Penelope said mock severely, knowing that Dave wasn't serious. "If you want me to be loyal to you you had better be loyal to me too or they'll be hell to pay."

Dave laughed heartily at that. "Throwing my own words back in my face I see. There's nothing to worry about, darling, you, Emily and Jennifer are all I will ever need."

"I know that already," Penelope promised him, as the two started to kiss again.

"Another round?" Dave asked hopefully, recovering pretty fast from his release.

"Sure!" Penelope agreed eagerly.

"Well, since we didn't have any time for foreplay due to my desperate need to be inside you this time will be slower," Dave promised, kicking off his shoes and then removing his pants and boxers the rest of the way.

"The first time was…Wow!" Penelope decided grinning like a maniac.

"I hope I wasn't too rough on you," Dave said suddenly contrite, now realizing that he hadn't thought about Penelope's needs until that moment.

"You did just fine," Penelope promised. "A little roughness isn't going to do me any permanent damage. In fact, I enjoy a little roughness now and then. I know you won't ever take it too far."

"Well, good," Dave said relieved. It warmed him at the trust that Penelope had in him to never hurt her. Those dreams that had really been visions had certainly helped her trust that she would be incredibly happy with him Emily and Jennifer. Thanks to them, she already trusted him, so he didn't have to work to gain it, which took time. He was grateful.

Dave began to kiss and lick over Penelope's beautiful body causing her to instantly get soaked again down in her pussy, as he created amazing sensations within her. Sensations of love, intimacy, lust, passion, tenderness and many more.

"I love you," Dave told her. "I know we just met, but I've known about you for a very long time and I loved you then sight unseen. Now though, I truly have a chance to fall even more deeply in love with you, because you're here and you're not just part of my imagination anymore."

"I love you too," Penelope promised him tenderly, reaching up a hand to stroke it though his short black hair. "That love you mentioned goes both ways and while I'm already in love with you due to the visions I was having I really don't know anything about you either other than that you are a good man. Our love will develop, deepen and change over the centuries we are together. We're already off to a very good start."

"Yes, the more we get to know about each other the more we will deepen the love we already share," Dave agreed tenderly, as he continued to make love to her and Penelope participated enthusiastically, using one of her hands to tenderly massage his balls, kissing him all over his chest and his neck.

It was Dave's turn to groan this time instead of Penelope as his mate created wonderful sensations within him, sensations of love, lust, passion and tenderness. Finally though, Dave got himself into position once again and thrust himself inside her, more gently this time. A few seconds later he pulled himself partway out and thrust into her again hitting her G spot this time, causing Penelope to go into such an intense spasm of pleasure that it was nearly surreal, because it was even more intense then the first time, which should have been impossible. A few seconds later Dave joined her, in her climax and both simply rode them out together for what seemed like forever.

"Wow! That was even better then the first time and I didn't think that was possible," Penelope said finally after taking a few minutes to recover from her climax.

"I'm glad you think so," Dave grinned smugly, simply laying on top of his mate not wanting to move because he was so comfortable. His body felt completely boneless, like just a bunch of skin, blood vessels and nerves with no solidity.

"I do," Penelope assured him, as she kissed the side of his neck easily, as he was still laying on top of her.

"Keep that up, my lady and we'll be making love again," Dave gently chided her, while sporting a large grin.

"Maybe that was my plan all along," Penelope told him smiling. "I'm roaring and ready to go for round three."

"Your wish is my command, sweetheart," Dave told her grinning hugely. "After that though, we probably need to stop for awhile get to know each other better."

"Oh, I could keep on all night," Penelope said, as she kissed him on the lips this time. "But yes, we need to get to know each other better and even though I had that wonderful dinner suddenly I'm starving."

"Yes, so am I," Dave admitted. "It's a fact of our lovemaking and the energy we put into it. This isn't the first time that I've gotten the midnight munchies, JJ and Emily will tell you the same."

"Looks like I'll be joining you in those midnight snacks," Penelope said grinning at him, not upset at that prospect at all.

"I'm looking forward to it, sweetheart," Dave told her smiling down at her tenderly. "My soul is finally complete with the addition of you, so thank you for agreeing to join us so easily."

"You're quite welcome," Penelope told him. "I always knew that there was something missing from my life and once I started to get those visions I was telling you about I finally understood what that was. What I was missing was you! To finally be completely happy and content I needed you, Emily and JJ, even though I didn't realize that until a few months ago. I love Emily and JJ already as sisters, even though I don't know much about them yet."

"That will change," Dave said. "It will take time and effort, but it will change."

"I know that already," Penelope said. "My grandfather used to say that anything worth doing was was worth putting effort into to accomplish."

"I would've liked your grandfather," Dave laughed.

"You would've loved him," Penelope promised. "Unfortunately, he died just last year at 140. If I had met you just a couple of years ago I could've introduced you to him. He would've loved you, JJ and Emily and might have even known about our rather unique relationship without having to be told, as he was extremely perceptive."

"Well, unfortunately, that's not the way it happened," Dave sighed, as he began to gently make love to her again and Penelope responded enthusiastically.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"So, what would you like for a midnight snack?" Dave asked, as he finally got off Penelope causing her to almost whimper at the loss of his cock inside her, his weight on top of her and his body heat warming her entire being.

"Well, first why don't you show me the bathroom, then perhaps we can take a shower or a bath together, after we eat of course," Penelope suggested, winking at him saucily.

"Your wish is my command," Dave said smiling broadly feeling so happy to finally have his last mate beside him. That she'd agreed so easily to be his was a miracle as far as he was concerned.

"So how many bedrooms do you have? This place is got to be at least 30,000 ft.²,"

"It's actually closer to 35,000," Dave told her and Penelope whistled appreciatively.

"Man, I can just imagine how much a place like this cost you, especially in New York," Penelope said her voice appreciative.

"Well, we usually just rent wherever we're staying, though not always, as sometime we buy a place, though much smaller of course," Dave admitted. "But since you were the last of my mates we needed to find we figured we'd settle in New York for awhile. Probably at least the next 50 or 60 years, possibly longer. This place is very private and has the best security available, so it's unlikely that anybody will be able to break into our home or be able to spy on us."

"Well, that's comforting," Penelope said. "I would like to see your security system and I could probably add a few things to it. I'm an expert on computers just so you know and a genius or so I've been told when it comes to enhancing security systems. I'll make it nearly impossible for anyone to get in here without permission."

"Nearly impossible?" Dave asked smiling.

"Nothing is impossible if the hacker is good enough," Penelope admitted, "but the chances of anyone getting past what I set up will be very, very slim and if they do manage it we'll be alerted no matter where we are. It will take anybody quite some time to get in here, because I'll have so many backups and failsafes set up that it would take them forever and give us or the police plenty of time to catch whoever it is."

"We can worry about that later," Dave said, "but if you can improve the security I would be grateful, as we might have kids at some point and I would like them to be safe."

"So how many bedrooms?" Penelope asked, as Dave never had told her.

"20 actually, all are a good size and have their own bathrooms. Really the rooms are more like high class hotel suites then just a place to sleep. We still need to buy furniture for them of course, but we have time, so there's no need to rush," Dave told her and Penelope whistled appreciatively again.

"Why do we need such a big space?" Penelope asked. "I would think three or four bedrooms would be plenty."

"Well, for one thing it's very private, as we have the whole building," Dave said ticking off the reasons on his fingers. "Two there are four of us and none of us like to feel crowded or at least me, Emily and JJ don't. I mean we'll be living in each others pockets enough we need somewhere to go to have privacy when required."

"No, neither do I," Penelope agreed. "I'm used to having my own space to be alone, though now I can let my apartment go."

"Three, it's very possible that we'll have children while we're here and that the three of you will get pregnant around the same time, so this way they can each have their separate rooms if that happens," Dave continued stating his reasons. "Four we are going to set up one of the rooms for exercise equipment, as we do have to work to maintain our bodies, because we can get fat just like humans can, even if we can't get things like diabetes. Five and one of the major reasons, besides, all this space was the view, which is spectacular. Six we're near a lot of shops, which was a requirement for the ladies, who like to walk some places sometimes and having a home close by was necessary."

"Yes, there are a lot of shops and restaurants in this area, so we are basically, at the center of everything. It's a very good location, quite central to everything, the shops, there's several good schools close by for when we have kids and also there's lots of entertainment within a few blocks," Penelope agreed. "This section of the city has just been rehabbed and I don't think that this place was on the market very long."

"No, it just went on sale late last year, so about seven months. I'm not really surprised it didn't sell before JJ, Emily and I decided to buy it considering the price we paid for it. Not many people, besides those that come from wealthy families or own multimillion dollar businesses of their own have the kind of money needed to buy a place like this. Of course, if we hadn't bought it I have no doubt it would've sold in another six months, the ladies and I just saw it first," Dave told her and Penelope nodded. "And point seven is that this place has a very good, very efficient central heating and air-conditioning as I told you earlier, which was definitely a requirement, because I'm not going to sweat in the summer or freeze in the winter, as I did enough of that before such things were invented. Eight, it's well sealed so that no rats or roaches or other critters can get in unless you leave the door or a window open and it also prevents the wind from getting into the structure, like in the winter when it can really get fierce."

"Now that last point is a big one with me," Penelope said, "as I would prefer not too find a rat on the floor when I get up in the morning or even a mouse, much less roaches or other critters. Also point seven, as I don't like to sweat or freeze either, not when it's not necessary."

"Which was exactly what Emily and JJ said," Dave told her smiling.

"So why don't you give me a tour before we get that snack?" Penelope suggested. "Let me get a feel for the place, as all I've seen so far is the entryway, roomy kitchen and living room/den."

"Of course," Dave agreed easily. "I forgot to mention that one of the rooms can be set up as a game room, but we haven't decided on that. Not just video games, but board games and card games somewhere where the whole family can spend time just enjoying themselves, particularly after we have children, though I suppose the den can serve the same purpose."

"I'm surprised you don't have a library, considering all the space," Penelope suggested.

"We were considering it," Dave admitted, "but really, it's just easier to read off an e-book reader. It hasn't been decided if we're going to knock out a wall to make a bigger space for a library or leave it as it is. I'm sure we'll think of a use for the rest of the rooms, because really we usually don't have more than a child or two at a time possibly three, since you have joined us, one from each of you."

"I would think you'd want at least a dozen children considering," Penelope said.

"I'm afraid that Immortals don't have children easily," Dave told her and the depth of sadness in his voice told Penelope that this deeply bothered him. "Ilithyia along with a whole pantheon of minor gods had to do it that way."

"Yes, I think I can understand why," Penelope said finally, as Dave led her around they're three-story home. "Immortals, can never get to old to produce children and therefore limiting the number they can have is necessary, because otherwise you would soon outnumber mortals."

"Yes, that's part of it certainly," Dave agreed. "But Ilithyia knew her people, and knew that they could be just as irresponsible as mortals, since mortals can have children all the time whether they can afford to, as we were once mortal after all, which means we can be careless and irresponsible. Also, with such a great gift as Immortality something had to be done to keep the balance, which is another reason that Immortals are limited to basically one child at least every 70 or 75 years. Since I have three mates it's very possible that you, Emily and Jennifer can fall pregnant at basically the same time and it has happened with JJ and Emily one time, but most Immortals only have one mate and therefore, only have one child every hundred and fifty years."

"But you were talking about all three of us falling pregnant right here and surely we won't live here long enough for that to happen," Penelope said.

"Well, Ilithyia seems to have taken a special interest in us," Dave told her. "Emily and JJ have gotten pregnant much sooner then is the norm ever since we met Jennifer. Before that Emily had only had seven children and was pregnant with our eighth when we finally found JJ. Now we seem to have children, as at least one of them gets pregnant, every 5 years, if they do nothing to prevent it. I expect that trend to continue with you as well."

"So contraceptives work on Immortals then," Penelope said the idea of having kids thrilling her, as she wanted children so badly, especially with someone she already loved deeply.

"Yes, as we're basically human just with the ability to heal really fast, and not to age from the time we reach thirty. A knife in the belly isn't likely to kill us so long as the bleeding can be stopped before we lose too much and depending how bad the damage is we should heal in half an hour or less. At the least we have a better chance of surviving a serious wound then mortals do. We are more likely to survive a serious blood loss depending if we've lost more than half then a mortal is, though we'll be laid up for a long time eating and sleeping, replacing the blood, but on the other hand, we heal exceptionally fast," Dave told her.

"Well, I certainly hope that never happens to me," Penelope said shuddering.

"I'll kill anyone that dares injure you in such a way or in anyway really," Dave growled looking suddenly deadly.

"Hey! I'm fine," Penelope soothed him, rubbing his back seeming to know just what to do.

"I'm sorry," Dave told her calming down.

"It's fine, I can certainly understand your need to be overprotective," Penelope told him kissing his cheek, causing Dave to give her a beaming smile.

"As you can tell I can be very protective of what I consider mine and that includes you, Emily, JJ or any children," Dave told her. "Luckily, situations like that, don't pop up very often, since we mostly stick to major cities or at least civilization and don't go tramping through the Amazon rainforest or some other remote place."

"Well, good, because I'm not one for wilderness," Penelope said. "I don't mind walking through a state park that is open to the public, but true wilderness no."

"Good, seems you prefer the city to," Dave said smiling filing that piece of information away. "However, it doesn't mean we can't be mugged or just stabbed or killed with a black market stunner that's been reprogramed to kill you just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, so we still have to be careful."

"Well, I wouldn't mind living somewhere out in the suburbs or some remote place so long as I had access to a city and we had a decent internet connection, but this is about as private as you can get in the middle of New York with over 36 million people. I wouldn't mind living on a ranch somewhere, where we have lots of land around and where nobody is likely to bother us too much."

"You like horses," Dave said in a knowing tone.

"I love horses," Penelope told him with a sparkling smile. "I lived on a farm until I was 21 when I decided to try to make my life in the city. I rode a horse every day with my father, brothers and occasionally my mother. We would check our land make sure the fence was in good repair that type of thing. Unfortunately, I haven't ridden in years, though it's not a skill you ever really lose, no matter how long it's been since you've ridden, but I sure am out of practice."

"Well, JJ and Emily do know how to ride, so that's a possibility for the future," Dave said causing Penelope to beam at him happily. "So how many brothers do you have?"

"Just the two," Penelope told him. "They both love the farm and so are running it together."

"So are you older, younger?" Dave asked next.

"Middle," Penelope told him. "My older brother is around 35, my younger just turned 21 and was something of a surprise to mom and dad who had only planned on two."

"Which is why he is so much farther apart in age then you and your brother," Dave said and Penelope nodded.

"Yes, I'm 30 and he's 21 so that's nine years age difference," Penelope said. "Still, he's very capable of helping my brother Andy run the farm. He's extremely intelligent, in fact, both of them are."

"Just like you are," Dave told her sincerely.

"Yes, well, their interest is in making the farm better, more productive, while mine is in electronics in general and computers in particular," Penelope said. "Still, we get along well when I go to visit."

"They love you, so of course, they try their best to support your choices," Dave told her, "just as you do for them, even if you don't share the same interests."

"Yeah, we do love each other," Penelope smiled. "This is really nice," Penelope added, as Dave finished the tour. "You have some really nice big rooms here and one of them could easily be converted into a exercise room, another into an office or really anything. You have endless potential in this space and you would never have to leave, so long as you had a way to get groceries delivered.

"Yeah, the three of us have some ideas how to make it better, but any ideas you have just tell us and we'll discuss together what we want to do with all this space," Dave said. "I wouldn't mind having the carpet replaced for example as industrial beige is not exactly my favorite color, but that's the way it came and it's not like we've had time to do a lot of modifications. In fact, the only thing we've done with it is furnish the living area, the kitchen and the master bedroom. The remaining furniture it came with and I think a lot of it needs to be replaced, because while it is nice it's not really our style. We kind of just bought this place, with the furniture, because we liked the layout, size and location so much and we knew we could replace the furniture if needed."

"Yes, I noticed that," Penelope said.

"We really didn't expect you to just show up so soon," Dave said. "We really thought it would be at least a few months and we'd have time to work on this place, paint the walls, buy furniture, get it more comfortable for when you finally found us."

"I think renovating this place will be fun," Penelope said. "I decorated my apartment and I'm sure that JJ, Emily and I can decorate it to all our tastes."

"Yes, I'll leave the redecorating mostly up to you ladies, but I would like some input," Dave said.

"Of course, I would never imagine leaving you out. I'm sure JJ and Emily are the same. I just didn't think you'd be interested in shopping, buying paint, wallpaper or furniture," Penelope said.

"I think it's time I cook you a late supper fit for a queen," Dave told her smiling, instead of answering Penelope.

"You can cook?" Penelope asked in surprise, though she shouldn't have been as a lot of men could cook in this century and often did so for their families, but it wasn't like Dave was a normal modern man that had been born in the last few decades. She knew that Dave was ancient, centuries old so that was probably why it had taken her by surprise that he actually knew how to cook as he hadn't been born in modern times.

"All of us can to varying degrees, but I'm mostly the chef of the family. I truly enjoy cooking, as it helps me relax and a lot of times Jennifer joins me, but while Emily can cook she doesn't really enjoy it very much, though sometimes she does help prepare a meal, even if it's just a salad," Dave said. "Of course, we also eat out a lot."

"Well, I think I'm really going to enjoy living with you, because like Emily I'm a very basic cooks, so I eat out a lot to," Penelope said smiling.

"I'm sure you can improve with a little practice if you want," Dave said.

"Maybe," Penelope conceded, "but for right now I'll just watch the master chef cook and after that if neither one of us is too tired I suggest we tryout the bed in the master bedroom."

"Absolutely," Dave said grinning, "but only after a nice long soak as there is a Jacuzzi as you saw in all the third floor bathrooms, which only makes sense, as that's the level the master bedroom is on. We might even consider knocking down a wall and making our bedroom bigger, since we have so much space and since the four of us are going to be living there."

"Yes, I noticed that there were several Jacuzzis," Penelope said returning the grin. "A nice long soak, before we try out that humongous gel bed, as it looks really comfortable, sounds like just the ticket as I am a little sore. As for knocking down a wall and making the master bedroom bigger, that might be a good idea, but we'll need to discuss it with Emily and JJ before any decisions are made."

"I figured you would be excited about the Jacuzzis," Dave said looking a little guilty at Penelope mentioning that she was a little sore from their lovemaking.

"Don't worry so much," Penelope told him. "I'm fine, I promise and a nice long soak will get out most of the soreness, so that we can enjoy ourselves without having to worry."

"Why don't you sit down, while I prepare you a meal," Dave suggested gently.

"I can help," Penelope offered.

"That's okay, as there is plenty of time for that later," Dave said smiling and kissing Penelope on the cheek. "Right now, I'm going to fix you the most romantic meal you've ever had."

"Sounds great," Penelope said returning the kiss, except on the lips, before she sat on the bench of the little nook that was big enough to hold ten people. "I'm certainly enjoying the view," Penelope added appreciatively, as she watched Dave's nude form move around the kitchen smoothly.

"Well, I'm glad you like how I look," Dave told her smiling. "I maintain myself, for you ladies as well as myself, as I could get fat if I didn't watch it. I don't want to have to eat like a bird just to maintain my body so exercising lets me basically eat what I want and not get fat."

"I might have to try that out, as I usually the diet constantly so I don't gain weight," Penelope told him.

"Well, personally, I think you look spectacular with or without clothes," Dave told her sincerely, causing Penelope to blush a little.

"Glad you think so," Penelope giggled feeling so giddy and happy, which was something she had never thought she'd ever feel. Normally, she was a very cheerful person, but with Dave in her life she had a feeling that she was going to feel a whole new level of cheerfulness.

"I do," Dave promised sincerely, as he got out several pots and pans and turned on the stove starting to mix ingredients like an expert.

Penelope said nothing, as she watched Dave prepare a meal for both of them, one that was fit for a queen and she couldn't wait to try it.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Thank you, that was wonderful," Penelope said. The two of them had eaten snuggled on the couch buck naked, feeding each other little tidbits of food, so it had been a very pleasant and sensual experience.

The two of them had also just shared a nice long soak together and spent over an hour just relaxing and also making love in the water. It had been a very sensual experience making love in the hot water and it was something Penelope hoped would be repeated.

"You're welcome," Dave told sincerely, having a hard time believing that he had finally found his final mate and that she had agreed immediately to be his exclusively.

"I keep eating like that and I guarantee you I'm either going to have to eat less or start exercising," Penelope said. "The idea of exercising is not exactly very appealing, but I also don't want to constantly be on a diet."

"Emily would agree with you," Dave laughed. "She didn't like exercising very much at first, as women just didn't do that back when we were originally born and it wasn't really until the 20th Century that exercising started to become popular for women. She did like to swim though and that helps keep her in shape. Swimming is still her favorite form of exercise. She's certainly very good at it and swims like a fish."

"You could have a lap pool put in or even a full sized one?" Penelope suggested.

"You know that's not a bad idea," Dave mused. "Perhaps, knock out a wall to combine two rooms, so there's plenty of room for it."

"Or you could put it on the roof," Penelope suggested, "There's plenty of room up there."

"You know, that's a really good idea. I'll look into it, soon, though it might not be possible," Dave told her appreciatively. "I know that Emily will really appreciate it at least and JJ will to, as she likes to swim sometimes, but the only problem with putting it on the roof is you can only use it in the summer and perhaps the spring and fall, but not in the winter. Still, even if it's not possible to put it on the roof there is plenty of rooms where we can put in a pool, a full-sized one."

"Well, I don't know why we have to stay here in the winter when we could go somewhere nice and warm," Penelope mentioned. "You know somewhere like Rio de Janeiro, Mexico or even Egypt."

"You're suggesting that we travel while snow falls on New York," Dave said.

"It's just an idea," Penelope said.

"Don't you have a job that would prevent us from leaving for the whole winter?" Dave asked. "I mean I wouldn't want you to quit a job that you love."

"I work from home," Penelope told him. "I wouldn't have been happy having a job at some security firm, just as an example, too many rules and regulations, so I simply started writing my own security and other computer programs. I have a contract with one of the largest security firms out there. The contract basically states, that if I create a program that helps protect a computer from hacking or find a way to improve their security systems then I have to deal only with them. Let's just say I get paid more than enough that I can afford to live in New York in comfort, as I also get a percentage of the profits, so it's mutually beneficial to both me and the company."

"So you're kind of a troubleshooter," Dave said.

"I suppose," Penelope said. "I don't think of myself like that, but I suppose when it comes to security systems I'm good at seeing weak spots and improving on those spots so that they're less vulnerable. I also sell computer programs to another electronics firm, on the side, ones that don't deal with security, so I'm in no way in violation of my contract with Nova."

"Wow! Nova's a really big company, I'm impressed," Dave told her smiling. "They must really respect your talent if you have a contract with them as kind of an independent contractor, one who isn't actually on the payroll."

"Yes, they were very impressed," Penelope smiled, as she remembered. "I started creating computer programs by the time I was 16 and despite the fact at the time I didn't have a college education, well, let's just say that Nova was very impressed when I sent them the program I had created. It was limited of course, so they couldn't be copied to more than three computers and I made sure it couldn't be copied or duplicated in anyway, after it was used three times. I wasn't taking chances of them stealing my work you know, taking credit for it, since that happens all the time unfortunately. I was aware, even at that age that people could be very dishonest as I was never as naïve about human nature as some of my classmates, who had their hard work stolen. I'm grateful they saw how good I could be if I got the proper education, so they basically paid for me to do online computer courses, since I just didn't have the time to actually go to college, take the full experience. In return any products I developed that had to do with security I would sell to them for a very fat fee, plus as I said I get a percentage of the profits."

"Well, you were a very young entrepreneur," Dave smiled.

"I suppose I was, though I never thought of myself as such," Penelope admitted. "I always had these ideas when it came to computers and I aced computer science, because for me the course was incredibly easy, really child's play. I was something of a teacher's pet, because I had real talent that just needed to be homed, you know? Taking those courses over the Internet, only improved my skills. I'm actually surprised that Nova just didn't throw out what I sent them thinking it was a hoax."

"Yeah, that kind of thing happens all the time and companies lose a lot of great ideas and bright young minds due to that policy," Dave admitted.

"I think my computer teacher had a word with them, though I don't know that for sure," said Penelope. "Mrs. Banner could see that I had some really immense talent that just needed to be homed and polished and everybody knew due to the grape vine that runs through a place like a high school that she had connections. I think I might've mentioned that I was planning to send them a program I created to see if they could sell it for me with me getting a percentage of the profits."

"So you think your teacher went to bat for you behind the scenes," Dave said.

"Yes, I do, as she was just that kind of person you know, kind, stern, firm and often worked with students that lagged behind. She had a way of encouraging slackers, though not all of her students were willing to put in the effort," Penelope agreed.

"Lazy," Dave suggested.

"Bone lazy," Penelope agreed. "It wasn't even that they didn't have talent, just that they weren't willing to put any effort into learning what she could teach them. You can have all the brainpower and talent in the world, but if you're not willing to put it to use what's the point?"

"Those types of people just coast by," Dave said. "Willing to take credit for somebody else's work, but not willing to put anymore effort into anything then absolutely necessary."

"Absolutely, and I may have been just a teenager, but I tended to avoid people like that, as for one thing they used to tease me horribly, so I wasn't willing to do them any favors and I wasn't about to allow my work to be stolen, so somebody could claim it as their own. I heard through the grapevine that several other students weren't so lucky as they were more naïve and innocent when it came to human nature I suppose are the words I'm looking for," Penelope said.

"So they were intelligent, just naïve about the world around them," Dave said.

"They were very intelligent, but they didn't pay any attention to the things going on outside their cipher," Penelope said. "They were total geeks and while there's nothing wrong with that it made it easy for people who are less honest to take advantage of them. Yes, I am intelligent and I could even be considered a geek, but I'm also not unaware of what goes on out in the world, and how dishonest people can be, which is why I limited that program I sent Nova in the first place. I suppose I just have a ton of common sense and also my ability to read auras does help me avoid people like that, so my talent does come in very useful."

"You're not one to let the world just pass you by," Dave said, as the two of them snuggled totally naked together in the nice ultra comfortable gel bed in the master bedroom. "I guess you could say you're more active, more aware of what's going on in the real world and aren't just lost in cyberspace."

"I do spend an awful lot of time on my computer or at least I used to, though I suspect that will change now with you, Emily and JJ in my life, but I did take time to read the newspaper, watch the news, keep up with current events," Penelope said smiling, as she thought about how her life was bound to change, but in a good way. "Also I used to go dancing at a club fairly frequently, as I like to dance."

"I intend to keep you very busy for the foreseeable future. Also the girls and I also like to dance, so that is definitely something the four of us have in common," Dave grinned. "To get back to your original question I think it's a good idea to travel at least some in the winter, since you don't have a job that you actually need to be present for."

"I can create computer programs anywhere, as my laptop goes wherever I go," Penelope smiled.

"We'll bring it up with Emily and JJ, but I'm sure they won't mind going somewhere warm for at least part of the winter," Dave said. "The three of us have traveled a great deal over the years and I expect that to continue."

"You really can't stay in one place too long," Penelope suggested.

"Not with his age of computer technology," Dave said, "but so long as we keep a low profile I think we can stay here for at least the next 50 or 60 years. Cause no troubles that will get us noticed by law enforcement so that they do a background check for instance. As I said this place is very private and though we don't age there are ways to change your appearance nowadays, put gray or white in our hair for example, even change the color completely with relative ease."

"Wear a wig as some of the wigs made today look very real, so realistic you can't tell the difference from the real thing," Penelope said. "Also I'm an excellent hacker and believe me, I can erase our records completely if there is a need to or I can change the data."

"You can do that without being caught?" Dave asked intrigued.

"Absolutely," Penelope said confidently. "I can change the data to where you, JJ and Emily were all born in the last 30 years, give you a background, a history that's just as in-depth as the real thing."

"Well, that will come in very useful," Dave said smiling. "We'll still have to move around every few decades, but it would make it easier for us. We've never lived somewhere as big as New York before, although we've lived a lot of places. Could you produce visas and passports? Ones that passed all inspections?"

"I probably could, but it would take awhile to figure out how as I've never done it," said Penelope. "I would need the right equipment to do so, but also it shouldn't be necessary if I change our data it would be easier to get passports and visas and do so legally."

"You're right," Dave agreed. "It's always such a pain though, to get a visa to live in another country, but we shouldn't have to lie or bribe someone if it's not necessary in order to keep the secret of Immortals. We've had to do a lot of that in the past, but then we didn't have anyone that was good enough on computers to change our data or even erase it completely."

Penelope blushed at the compliment.

"I know it's not exactly legal what we are suggesting..." Dave began

"But there are so many things you have to do in order to maintain the secret that Immortals are real," Penelope finished. "I understand that and I wonder what others of your kind do in order to stay under the radar."

"Well, they find a way by hook or crook, because if they get caught for something, well, Ilithyia can't allow Immortals to be discovered. Those that end up in prison for more then say 10 years lose their Immortality and there are certain crimes that will also make you lose your Immortality but we can get into that later," Dave explained.

"I'm surprised that Ilithyia, various gods or other supernatural beings even still exist, considering that most people don't believe in them anymore. I read somewhere that they got their power from the people that worshiped them."

"Yes, a lot of them do get that power from the worship of their followers, but since most Immortals still believe in them that's where they get it from. Even those that are turned Immortal start believing in them after awhile, which just increases their power," Dave said.

"I hadn't considered that, but you're right," Penelope said. "Now I believe I'm ready for you to fuck me senseless again."

"It will be an absolute pleasure, my lady," Dave promised her with a rather lecherous expression causing Penelope to giggle.

"I love you so much, and I will never stop," Dave promised her his voice low, sensual, soft and sexy causing Penelope to have a rather hormonal reaction.

Dave started to make love to Penelope again, which was at least the 12th time since the two of them had gotten back to the home that he, JJ Emily had bought. He intended to make love to her quite a lot, until their time was up and this was only day one, so they had a long, but enjoyable 72 hours ahead of them. Time that would pass like the wind.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	10. Chapter 10

Part 10

"This is lovely," Penelope told Dave, as she fingered the necklace that he had just given her.

The necklace was the Rossi crest.

"I'm glad you think so, as all of us wear one," Dave said. "It's my family's crest and you are now part of my family. You are the final addition, except for any children we have, so our family is now complete."

"Well, I'm happy to be part of your family," Penelope said snuggling into Dave's naked form and Dave was more then happy to have her there, putting his arms around her and pulling her closer.

"That's been obvious from the beginning," Dave laughed. "As much as I would like to put that necklace on you it's not a good idea for you to wear it while we're fucking each other senseless as we could break the chain as it's thin and delicate."

"Has that actually happened?" Penelope asked in surprise.

"Yes," Dave answered. "Emily forgot to take her necklace off once when we were making love and we got so rough the chain snapped. We replaced the chain and Emily hasn't forgotten to take it off since."

"Well then, I had better put this to the side so that doesn't happen," Penelope said.

"Well, if it does we'll just replace the chain, so no biggie, but I just thought I'd warn you in advance what could possibly happen," Dave told her.

"Well, thanks for that, as I wouldn't want to damage your wonderful gift," Penelope said, "though I'm at a loss how you could have had it all ready to give to me considering that we haven't been out of each other presences in over three days."

And boy what a three days it had been. She and Dave had made love at least 40 or 50 times in those three days, not always with him penetrating her, not that those times hadn't been enjoyable. More than.

"Well, the three of us knew we were coming to find you, so I simply had this made in advance," Dave explained. "I had it made in Los Angeles where we were living and then simply brought it with us when we moved here."

"Well, that explains it," Penelope said smiling, kissing him tenderly. "It's a lovely, thoughtful gesture and I appreciate the thought behind it."

"I'm glad," Dave said tenderly, kissing her on the nape of her neck in return.

Penelope put the necklace on the nightstand that was beside the bed and then turned to Dave. She kissed him again without saying a word, passionately, possessively causing Dave to growl and tighten his grip on this beautiful woman who was his final soulmate.

"I'm going to make love to you again and as much as humanly possible before we call Emily and JJ to return," Dave told her his voice possessive and soft.

"Well, it's only been a very pleasurable, if intense three days and I can't see the next day or so being any different," Penelope told him beaming at the thought.

"Definitely not," Dave agreed with laughter in his eyes. "Thanks to us making love so much over the last three days you're already well on your way to being Immortal."

"So how long do you think it will take?" Penelope asked.

"Well, for JJ it was about six months," Dave said. "The only reason we know that is that she accidentally sliced her finger when she was cutting up some fruit and it healed instantly. That doesn't happen unless you're already Immortal, so the process for her was really fast once we started making love frequently. Most days we had sex several times a day, even if it was only a quick, hard fuck with me entering her and not a long drawn out session. Of course, Emily was also included in that and we didn't do much else for years after that. It wasn't like any of us had jobs, so we were free to fuck each other senseless several times a day or do whatever else we wanted. Oh, we did ordinary things watched the vid screen, the ladies went shopping, we went out to eat frequently or to the vids that kind of thing."

"It was a rather idyllic time then," Penelope suggested.

"Oh, yes, it was nice and peaceful," Dave said smiling in remembrance. "We did have a few children around that time, every 5 or 10 years unless the ladies did something to prevent it. I'm not sure why Ilithyia has blessed us with the ability to have children so close together, but all of us are certainly grateful for it."

"It means she's pleased with you I have no doubt," Penelope said.

"Well, I've always tried to do the right thing," Dave said modestly.

"So you were telling me earlier that you didn't start having children, so often until after JJ joined you, right?" Penelope asked.

"That's right," Dave said.

"Well, I'm just thinking that JJ's connected to why you suddenly started having children every 5 to 10 years instead of every 70 or 75," Penelope said.

"I always thought she was, although I never understood why," Dave said. "I suppose it could have to do with the fact that JJ was seriously injured by a former boyfriend and the doctors told her that she might not be up to have children, something that devastated her as you can imagine."

Penelope winced at that. "Bad?"

"She was beaten so severely that she was in the hospital for quite some time and he also used a knife on her to cut her clothes and into her belly. I'm sure he would have killed her or at least done even more damage if someone hadn't come along," Dave said and the furiousness in his voice told Penelope that he was still extremely pissed off about it, something she couldn't blame him for in the slightest.

"So what happened to the guy that did that to JJ?" Penelope asked looking pissed off.

"Oh, he went to prison, as he had done it to several of women before and one of them had become paralyzed because of his brutality. He had never been caught before JJ, because the other women were too afraid to speak out against him and for that I can't blame them. The police of the time managed to connect the dots so to speak and gathered enough evidence to put him away for what was close to the rest of his life, though it wasn't quite a life sentence. To me that wasn't enough," Dave explained. "I know it was what it was and he never got out of prison, still, it didn't seem like enough. I did hear that he managed to get himself killed in the shower by another inmate, but to me it was too fast and not as painful as it should have been."

"I really can't blame you there," Penelope admitted. "I know you probably would've liked to torture him for awhile for what he did to JJ and those other women, just to prove that he wasn't as strong and invulnerable as he believed himself to be."

"Yeah, I did," Dave admitted, "but doing something like that is a offense against Ilithyia and it would make me lose my Immortality, so I wouldn't have done it no matter how much I wanted to. There are very few rules that Immortals have to follow that will make you lose your Immortality and one of those is to torture someone for any reason, except if someone kidnaps another Immortal's mate is the only time it was allowed. Even if it was allowed for more then that one reason I'm not sure that I could actually torture someone like that and not feel incredibly guilty anyway. I know I can kill someone if I have to, too protect those I love, as I've done it before and though Ilithyia frowns on murder if it's to protect your mate, yourself or someone else then it's acceptable. JJ was actually attacked again after we had met her when she was walking to her car after work and you don't want to know what happened to the guy that did so."

"I don't have to guess I simply know that you likely get something rather permanent about it."

"I did, as I couldn't do anything about what happened to Jennifer before we met. I have no doubt that this guy would've come after JJ once he got out of prison and he wouldn't have gotten more than a few years at most for the attack. There're no guarantees, even if we moved elsewhere he wouldn't be able to track her down not with today's technology. Really, it was a form of insurance, so that JJ didn't had to be afraid for her life whenever she was out in public or have to look over her shoulder. She doesn't know that it was I that did the deed, just that he ended up dead. According to what we heard on the television he was overloaded on drugs, not that that's any excuse or anything, but it's certainly a reason why he attacked a waitress that probably didn't have more than 50 bucks in her wallet."

"Well, I say he got what he deserved," Penelope said finally. "However, I don't believe you could torture someone, as there is a major difference between killing someone to protect yourself, someone you love or even a stranger to actually torturing someone for their supposed misdeeds," Penelope told him sincerely. "You're feelings at the time were justifiable, but I truly believe you wouldn't have followed through on what you were thinking at the time, as Emily and JJ would have stopped you and so would you own conscious."

"Probably, or at least JJ would have, as Emily was of the same mind, as me. Emily is one lady you don't want to tick off as she's an alpha female with a very aggressive personality when necessary. Still, I have no doubt that JJ would've talked me out of it, if the first attack hadn't happened three years before we met. As for the second, the guy that was overloaded on drugs, Jennifer would have likely been able to talk me out of it, which is why Emily and I didn't inform her of what I was going to do. I didn't want to have Jennifer looking over her shoulder for the next 40 or 50," Dave admitted. "I would have at least liked to beat him up like he did JJ, but that would have been considered torture, so all I did was break his neck cleanly. Really, he got off more lightly then he deserved. In any case, the doctors told JJ that she might not be able to have children due to the damage done after the original attack before we met. I knew though, that Jennifer really wanted them as that was clear from what she told me and with how she was with mine and Emily's son Tony. The doctors of the time weren't positive that she would never be able to have children, just told her it was a strong possibility, since her original attacker almost gutted her like a fish. After we met I told her that turning her Immortal would likely heal whatever damage was done just so long as her womb hadn't been removed," Dave explained.

"So you believe that Ilithyia, saw JJ's longing to have at least one child of her own and so did something that allowed her to get pregnant sooner," Penelope said catching on immediately. "Kind of to prove to her that she could indeed have children."

"I don't see any other way it could've happened," Dave said. "As far as I know this has never happened to another Immortal before, but on the other hand, it's probably not something that other Immortals want to spread around, as it would make others of our kind incredibly jealous. JJ was in a lot of emotional pain thinking that she'd never be able to have a child with me, something that both of us really wanted. Ilithyia is not the type to leave someone in such emotional pain, especially not someone as kind and tenderhearted as Jennifer is."

"So Ilithyia is kind and benevolent," Penelope suggested.

"Mostly, so long as you don't break her few commandments," Dave said. "If that's what happened I would think that Ilithyia would have to put everything back to normal where we could only have children 70 or 75 years once she had proven that Jennifer could have kids, but that didn't happen."

"Well, I still think that Ilithyia is pleased with all three of you and that's why she didn't take away this gift that she gave you," Penelope said.

"It's possible," Dave said considering it. "I don't know what I've done to please her so much or what Jennifer and Emily have done, but I certainly hope we continue to do so."

"You will, just by continuing to be who you are and that's a good man or I suppose good people if I include JJ and Emily in that statement," Penelope told him.

The two of them kissed for quite some time, but then Dave begin to make love to his gorgeous Penelope again and that was the way they spent the next few hours before they fell asleep in each others arms.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Welcome home," Dave greeted Emily and JJ, as they walked in the door.

"Thanks," JJ said, as she came over and kiss Dave on the cheek while Emily did the same to the other one.

"I hope you two ladies had a good time while I was busy with Penelope," Dave said.

"A very good time," Emily promised him.

"But now we're going to steal Penny for a little while so we can talk and get to know each other," JJ said.

"Raid the shops, though we already did some of that in order to have clothes to wear for the last few days," Emily added grinning, causing Dave to playfully roll his eyes, even as he chuckled.

"Perhaps, you could stop by her apartment and get the rest of her things, though we'll need to arrange for a moving van for the furniture," Dave suggested. "She did bring a couple of suitcases with her because she knew what was going to happen when we met, but that doesn't mean she has all her clothes and other things."

"Perhaps, we can even use her furniture in one of the rooms so that's something we won't have to buy. The furniture needs to be replaced anyway, since none of us like what is already here," Emily suggested.

"That's a good idea and I'm sure that Penelope will agree with it," Dave said.

"So where is our newest sister?" JJ asked.

"She'll be out shortly, she's just taking a quick shower," Dave told them grinning.

"Oh, I can guess what you did just before we got here," JJ said smiling.

"I'm sure you can," Dave said smiling, "but while I enjoyed my private time with Penelope, I'm glad to have you home, even if you are going to leave again," Dave fake pouted at them causing Emily and JJ to laugh.

"You've had your time, with our newest sister, now it's our turn," Emily told him firmly, but with laughter in her beautiful brown eyes.

"We'll be back in a few hours," JJ promised.

"Besides, we need to start to get to know her too, because while you're the only one sexually involved with her she's still going to be part of our lives," Emily added with a mysterious twinkle in her eyes.

"Oh, I know," Dave finally gave up pouting and simply grinned at them. "I've had my time with her and now it's your turn. So you go shopping, spend as much as you want as you will anyway and I'll simply keep myself busy until you return."

"So what will you do while we're gone?" JJ asked in genuine concern, as the three of them were rarely apart, though they might be in separate rooms they were in the same building most of the time.

"Don't worry about me, I'll just find a football game to watch or maybe basketball," Dave told her smiling at her concern. "I'll be just fine without you for a few hours. You deserve this time alone with the newest member of our family, as I won't deny that you need to get to know her to. We can't be together all the time, even if we are for the majority of it."

"Well, we won't go far when it comes to shopping as the best shop is right here in Manhattan," Emily said. "We might go over to Brooklyn or New Jersey at some point, but not today."

"Madison Avenue has great shopping, or at least that was true last time we were here," JJ said. "It had some of the most expensive exclusive shops in New York."

"That's still true today," Penelope said coming out of the master bedroom dressed but with her hair still wet. "I heard someone mention shopping, something I assure you I take great pleasure in doing.

"I think we're going to get along just fine," Emily said grinning. "Both JJ and I love to shop."

"And we're not on a budget either," JJ added grinning.

It had taken JJ a long time to break the habit of watching her pennies, as she hadn't been rich before she had met Dave and Emily. For a long time she had insisted that she buy as cheaply as possible, but finally, Emily and Dave had broken her of that habit. They had simply pointed out numerous times that they had money to spare and that while there was nothing wrong with looking for a bargain she should be able to buy what she wanted. Dave had also told her several times that he gave generously to numerous charities and there was plenty left for them to live like they wanted so there was no point of not spending the money.

What was the point of just saving it and only spending the bare minimum? They could live off the interest alone quite well. JJ had been afraid for a long time that they'd run out, but Dave had finally shown her his and Emily's numerous investments and assured her they were always looking for more. They weren't going to go broke anytime soon, even with rising inflation and that had finally broken through JJ's insistence that they do not spend anymore than necessary.

Of course, Dave and Emily had never worried about running out of money and spent exactly what they wanted, but JJ had bought cheap when it came to clothes or anything else. The only time, for a long time that JJ spent a lot of money, was when Dave insisted that she buy herself something nice and not stint on the cost. In those cases, Emily had always come along to make sure that JJ did as ordered and didn't buy something of the rack that only cost 30 or 40 dollars or even less. Now, while there was nothing wrong with buying cheap or looking for a bargain neither Emily or Dave saw the point to it when they didn't have to watch what they spent.

Spending so much money at one time had bothered JJ at first, because even though she had never had to watch her pennies she still couldn't afford to be really extravagant. Finally decades after they had gotten together JJ finally realized that the three of them were not going to run out of money, but she had still used to wince every time she bought something that was five or six hundred or even more, but she did so without complaint. Now though, she had passed the stage of wincing, when she plopped down thousands on a single day's shopping, as she had gotten used to having more money than she ever had in her life previously.

"Always a bonus," Penelope grinned.

"Absolutely," Emily said.

"You ladies have fun," Dave said. "I'll see you when you get back."

As JJ and Emily put their arms around Penelope on either side she beamed at them, feeling very welcome in their midst.

"Yes, we're going on a shopping spree," Emily giggled.

"And Dave suggested that we might want to stop by your apartment and finish packing up the rest of your clothes, toiletries and personal stuff at least, while we have the rest of your stuff moved by the professionals."

"I have a lot of shoes, accessories and clothes, so we'll have a trunkful," Penelope laughed.

"What women doesn't?" JJ asked rhetorically.

"Ones, who can't afford an extensive wardrobe," Penelope suggested.

"Or ones who have no interest in clothes shopping, because they are more tomboyish," Emily suggested.

"Their loss!" All three women said together, causing Dave to chuckle.

"Go have fun," Dave told them smiling.

"We'll be back by dinnertime," JJ told Dave.

"Perhaps, you could meet us somewhere for dinner instead of us coming home," Emily suggested.

"Absolutely, just contact me when you decide on a place and I'll meet you there," Dave promised.

"We'll see you later," Penelope promised, kissing him tenderly.

Dave responded to the kiss and poured every ounce of love he could into it. Once the kiss had broken, leaving Penelope with a sappy expression, Dave gave the same treatment to JJ and Emily who looked slightly dazed instead of sappy, if only because they were used to being kissed so throughly, by the man they loved.

The three women chattered rapidly at each other as they left by the front door leaving Dave behind standing in the entryway watching them go

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"So how was your time alone with Dave?" Emily asked once the three of them were in a dark silver SUV driving towards Madison Avenue.

"Really, really, romantic," Penelope sighed closing her eyes. "I was already halfway in love with him due to my prophetic dreams, but I can fall the rest of the way easily if he keeps up being so sweet, tender, attentive, romantic, sexy and passionate."

"That describes Dave alright," JJ agreed, smiling. "It took me awhile to fall all the way in love with him, but I certainly had a good head start before I knew all about Immortals. He was just so handsome, attentive and sexy. I tried to tell myself that he was already married, but it didn't help much."

"He's very charismatic to, which pulls a lot of women in like bees to honey," Emily said grinning.

"He's not interested in anybody else though, so you don't have to worry about him always being loyal to the three of us alone," JJ told Penelope.

"That's not to say that women won't try to get him into their clutches, because he is so handsome, sexy sensual, sweet, romantic. A lot of woman get jealous if they see him pay one of us a lot of attention, but none of us need to worry about where his loyalties lie," Emily added.

"I know that already or I never would have agreed to have sex with him so soon," Penelope told the other two women. "The visions I was having, you know?"

"Good," Emily said pleased.

"So how did the rest of your time with Dave go?" JJ asked eagerly

"It was really, really spectacular," Penelope decided. "We made love in front of the fireplace multiple times, he made me a very nice romantic midnight snack, though it was more like three in the morning. We made love in one of the Jacuzzis," Penelope said smiling, as she remembered. "But the pièce de résistance was in the nice big gel bed, the one in the master bedroom. He kept telling me that he didn't have any time to prepare something more romantic, because he expected to have at least a few months before I showed up, but I thought it was perfect."

"That's Dave alright," Emily said smiling. "He's always worrying about making it perfect for us, but for us being able to spend time with him without anybody else around is what makes it so. Neither JJ or I need any fancy dinners or flowers or jewelry to be happy, they're just extra."

"It's not that we don't enjoy that he's spoils us, just that it's not necessary," JJ told Penelope.

"Yes I agree with that," Penelope said nodding. "I came from very middle-class family and what I have now, I earned myself, but I would be perfectly happy with far less. It's nice not to have to worry about money and to spend what I want, but at the heart of it I'm really a very simple person who enjoys the simpler things in life. So long as I have a computer in front of me, I'm happy, as computers are my passion."

"Yeah, I feel the same way," JJ agreed. "It took me a long time to get used to casual way that Dave and Emily would spend whatever they wanted not worrying about the cost of things. I come from a middle-class background to and was taught to work for everything I have."

"Finally we broke her of the habit of buying inexpensively, just to save money when there was no need to," Emily said. "We're not going to go broke anytime soon or ever really, so why buy cheaply produced materials or cheap jewelry when there is no need to? Especially when the more expensive stuff tends to be better made and therefore, lasts longer. Both Dave and I have been around long enough to get pretty good idea what would make an excellent investment and I won't say we haven't made a bad investment occasionally, but it certainly doesn't happen very often, not anymore anyway."

"I can help you with that, because I can do a thorough background check on the company involved," Penelope said. "Make sure that they're honest without any skeletons in their closets."

"That will help," Emily said grinning appreciatively.

"I also told Dave that I could erase all our history when it's time for us to move on and simply create a background for each of us. This will make it easier to get things like passports and visas and also easier to move through society in general, as you won't have to be so careful to not be noticed."

"Wow! I'm really impressed," JJ said.

"Thank you, but I've always been good with computers and I even took some online courses, so I've gotten even better since then," Penelope said modestly. "I can guess how hard it is for Immortals to stay under the radar, but with my computer skills it won't be so hard anymore, at least not for us."

"So you can just erase our whole history and put a fictional one in all the appropriate databases?"

"Oh, absolutely," Penelope said. "It will take time to be thorough and make sure it's done properly, so I don't get caught by the authorities who watch out for crimes done in cyberspace, but yes, it can be done."

"Well now, there is a talent that's going to be very useful," Emily murmured appreciatively.

"Especially in this age of technology and computers are getting better every year," JJ said. "If you can erase all four of our histories and basically rewrite them each time we decide we need new identities it will be a really big help. We won't even have to change our names, which is a bonus."

"Especially since I don't want to have to change my name," Emily said. "This will make it easier to move in society if we suddenly become part of a police investigation or somebody wants to run a background check on us for some reason. I mean we try to stay away from the cops, cause no trouble, but that's not always possible, as you can just be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"But so long as we don't make them suspicious and act normally they don't take much interest in us," JJ said. "To them we're just citizens going about our business who got caught up in a bad situation, which happens sometime no matter how cautious we are."

"Still, with Penny's skills with hacking computers it will make it easier to move around in society and we won't have to be so careful," Emily said. "We'll still have to live pretty quietly, cause no trouble just like we've been doing, we just won't have to be so cautious and careful."

"I'll get started on that as soon as I get back," Penelope promised. "I'll just create a whole fictional past for each of us, although I want all of your inputs, since I don't know you very well yet."

"I say keep it basically like it is now, just change a few facts to fit the time and situation. We don't want to do anything too fancy or change too many things as we have to keep our story straight after all, so we basically keep it like normal," JJ said.

"In other words, basically, the truth mixed with a few fabrications," Penelope suggested.

"It's better to keep it mostly close to the truth and that way it won't be hard to actually remember what was changed," Emily said. "I think that's the rule that we should follow whenever we need to change our past, just so we can move easier in a society that is very high tech nowadays."

"Yes, keep it mostly truthful, and change just enough that it's different from your real past, even if your original past won't exist once I get done, with basically erasing it," Penelope said.

The three ladies chatted as they drove to Madison Avenue.

"Dave is so sweet and wonderful, I can't believe I've been so lucky to find someone like that," Penelope said finally at a break in the conversation.

"Well, you have and now that we have finally found you Dave won't have to continue looking, as you were the final piece missing to our family," JJ told her. "I just know that the three of us will be best friends."

"JJ certainly is my sister in every way, except biologically," Emily said. "You will be too once we have a chance to truly get to know each other and going shopping together is a good start."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it as I've never had sisters before," Penelope said. "I do have two brothers, but I don't see them much."

"So what would your brothers say if you told them about Dave, plus the two of us?" JJ asked.

"They wouldn't worry about Dave so long as they met him and got his measure, as they want me to be happy, get married have children, but they'd want to make sure that Dave wasn't going to hurt me. As for the two of you it might be best if we didn't tell them about your relationship with him, because I don't believe they'd every accept that a man can love three ladies at the same time. I never told them about the visions I was having, mostly because, I doubt I'll have them again. Too them our relationship with Dave all at the same time would be wrong, so we're going to have to come up with some explanation as to why you're living with Dave and I."

"Well, your brothers sounds very different from you," JJ said.

"Oh, they're okay, honest, steady, loyal, sweet and kind," Penelope said. "They love me and I love them, but they would never understand my connection to Dave or to the two of you. I am the only one that got even a little of the sight from my grandfather, as my brothers Andy and Darrin are just regular people without anything extra. If we go to visit them, all of us and not just me and Dave then we'll need to come up with some story as to why Dave's living with two other women."

"Well, I know Dave's going want to meet your brothers at some point," JJ said. "He never had a chance to meet any of my family because my parents died in a car crash when I was 15 and my aunt who I was living with for a time died just a few years before I met him. She died of lung cancer as she liked to smoke, the real thing not the herbals, even though they were bad for her. I didn't even know she was sick as she didn't tell anybody, and I'd been on my own for years."

"So no siblings?" Penelope asked and JJ shook her head negatively.

"No, I was an only child unlike you or Emily," JJ said. "Since immortals can only have one child about every hundred years, while Emily does have siblings she really doesn't have that many of them considering how old she is."

"So how many?" Penelope asked Emily.

"Well, my parents are considerably older than I am so around 24."

"That would make them around 1,800 years old," Penelope said doing the calculations in her head. "And only if they didn't find a way to prevent having children back before contraceptives were a reality.

"No, they consider having children a precious gift and you got their age almost exactly right, except you're off by a few years but not by very much," Emily said impressed that Penny had done the math in her head in just a few seconds. "They might decide to stop having children one day and have an operation that will take care of that, but I don't know that they will."

"Well, having that many children over that long a time isn't really very many at all," Penelope decided.

"No, it's really not," Emily agreed. "Of course, I don't ever mention my family among strangers because nobody would believe that I have that many siblings, as nobody has that many children nowadays, not even illegitimate ones, much less with the same mother."

"Some people probably do they just never acknowledge them, with different women of course, because there is no way one woman is going to agree to have so many, even if she has time to do so before she gets to old," JJ told Emily.

"I suppose it's possible, though I have a hard time imagining one person having that many children over the lifespan of a human," Emily said. "Yes, I know humans live longer nowadays than they did centuries ago, but still, I have a hard time imagining it, since they only have certain amount of fertile years where they can get pregnant."

"A lot of men are not very responsible," Penelope reminded Emily. "A lot of them don't bother to use any sort of protection and not every woman has an implant to prevent pregnancy or takes a pill, so I would say it's very possible, although I doubt very much if someone has had over 20 children, with different woman of course, that the man would acknowledge it."

"I certainly wouldn't if I had a wife and she was unaware that her husband had been cheating on her on multiple occasions with different women and didn't bother to be responsible and use some form of protection," JJ giggled.

"We don't have to worry about that with Dave," Penelope said.

"No, we don't, but not every man is as loyal to their wives as Dave will be to all of us," said Emily. "I know men can be irresponsible, but if one had that many children, even if it's by different women that's more than irresponsible. Having that many children with different women, well, they could take him to court for child support and to pay that much child support to that many would break most men financially at least."

"Only if they know who the father is," Penelope said. "After all, they could've lied about their real names."

"Yeah, they could," Emily acknowledged.

"Well, here we are," JJ said finally, as she pulled into a parking garage. JJ paid the outrageous fee for all day parking and then found a parking slot before finally shutting off the engine.

"Didn't want to try to find a spot on the street?" Penelope asked with laughter in her eyes.

"The possibility of us actually getting a spot close to Madison Avenue on the street are almost nil, so why bother?" Emily asked rhetorically. "Nobody is going to shop on Madison Avenue unless they are very wealthy with money to burn, so that means they can afford the garage fees."

"Well, at least we only have a block or so to walk," JJ said.

"Well, let's get started," Penelope said smiling. "I'm looking forward to shopping with you."

"We are too," JJ said and Emily nodded.

"So let's go see how much of Dave's money we can spend," Emily grinned.

JJ and Penelope chuckled, knowing Dave wouldn't care how much they spent, but followed Emily to the elevator.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Enjoy yourself ladies?" Dave asked them when he arrived at the restaurant they had chosen.

"Oh, yes," Emily said grinning.

"The salesclerks at several places were certainly very happy with us," JJ added also smiling.

"Yeah, several clerks got a nice commission because of all we bought," Penelope said, looking incredibly happy and relaxed.

"We'll give you a fashion show later," JJ promised winking causing Dave to grin in anticipation.

"We also managed to go by Penny's apartment and pack up the rest of her clothes, shoes and toiletries," Emily added.

"She does have quite a lot of them," JJ added. "But that's no different from Emily and I as we have a lot of clothes to, so she'll fit right in, in that area."

"Yes, the two of you have so many clothes we should probably use one of those extra rooms as a large closet, especially with the addition of Penelope," Dave told them.

"We might consider it, since there are three of us, plus you," Emily said.

"Seems like a waste of space though and space is at a premium here in New York," Penelope said. "If you have an extra closet for example, you use it."

"Well, if there was only one women in the household then it wouldn't be a problem, but we have three women that love clothes, shoes, handbags, purses and other accessories, jewelry and perfume for instance and have the money to indulge themselves as often as they want," Emily said. "Yes, the closet in the master bedroom is massive, but with three of us, plus Dave it might be a good idea, as that way we won't have to limit our purchases to have enough space for everything."

The closet in the master bedroom was more like a small room and was automated. The racks actually moved forward at the push of the controls and there was also a computer where every piece of clothing was listed and it could suggest what shirt went with which pants and what jewelry would go best if required.

"Well, we don't have to do anything right now let's see if there's room for my stuff to before we decide to do that," Penelope said.

The four of them ordered dinner and wine to go along with it.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves," Dave said smiling, as he listened to them chatter.

"One thing though that Penny brought up," JJ said after they had their meals. "She was telling us that if we go and see her family, that they would never accept the idea of a foursome, or at least that you were having sex with three different women, since I suppose our little group can't be considered a traditional foursome, since the relationship between us ladies is strictly platonic."

"That's exactly what I said," Penelope agreed. "We're going to have to come up with some kind of backstory, as to why you have two other women living with you and keep your relationship with them private. I love my brothers, but when it comes to something like a relationship between a man and woman they're very traditional, particularly my older one Andy."

"We'll come up with something," Dave promised. "We've never had to do that before because JJ didn't have any living relatives when we met and while Emily does they're also Immortal just like we are, so they'd understand our unique relationship because that's how they've been raised."

"We could be your cousins and we're living with you because we have nowhere else to go," JJ suggested. "We could even tell them the partial truth about what my boyfriend did to me so many decades ago now, just change the dates, so it seems like it didn't happen to long ago. I could've come to you for protection and I'm afraid to date because of what happened."

"That's not bad," Emily said. "We don't have to give them details or anything just enough to let them use their own imaginations."

"Yes, I believe my brothers would accept that and feel sorry for JJ and what happened," said Penelope thinking about it. "I would certainly be afraid to date if something like that happened to me."

"That might work, though I hate to bring up something so personal and painful, but it is likely necessary," Dave considered.

"It is and it would certainly turn their minds away from the thought that JJ could possibly be sleeping with you and would also explain why she's living with you," said Penelope with certainty.

"Well, you know your brothers best," Dave said, "so if you believe that that will work then it will and it certainly takes care of Jennifer's backstory, but we still need to come up with one for Emily."

"I could be your aunt's daughter," Emily suggested.

"Alright, why are you living with us?" JJ asked. "We can't use the same backstory that would be too suspicious."

"Perhaps, I left my abusive husband who swore to get revenge after he got out of prison, for testifying against him in court," Emily suggested. "Perhaps, my husband beat me black and blue and I was pregnant at the time and I did everything I could to protect myself and the baby, but I lost it."

"I don't know that's awfully similar to the backstory we came up for from me, even though mine is basically based off truth," JJ said. "Wouldn't it be a little suspicious that two females of Dave's family got out of abusive situations, even if they're different types."

"Not necessarily," Dave disagreed. "There are a lot of abusive assholes in the world, though I admit it would be rather unusual for two members of the same family to get into abusive situation, but not impossible, especially if the family is fairly large. I mean we could say that Emily's husband didn't start out as abusive and they were supposedly in love. It could be that it was only after they got married that he started to change. That happens all the time and the man acts all attentive and in love when they are just dating until after he ties the knot then he drops the act or at least something changes him into an abusive asshole. Unfortunately, that kind of thing happens far to much and a lot of people don't catch onto the real man's personality until they're actually married to him, since some people are good actors and are able to maintain the charade for a long time."

"Yeah, some people can keep up the act for a considerable length of time," Emily agreed. "We've all seen that happen in our centuries, well, all except for Penny."

"It's certainly plausible," Penelope said. "I believe my brothers will believe it, so long as you don't do anything to make them suspicious, even if they're normally oblivious to the sexual vibes between couples. However, you'll have to be careful of Andy's wife, as she's very intelligent and she'll be able to tell if you act like you're in a romantic relationship. I can't not tell my brothers about you anyway," Penelope told Dave. "They would find out eventually anyway and be mad at me for not mentioning you, especially if our relationship supposedly turns serious, serious enough for you to propose."

"No, you shouldn't keep this from your brothers, or your sister-in-law," Dave told her calmly. "We'll work something out. I think the two backstories just need to be fleshed out, but are pretty good as is."

"We have a few months at least before we need to worry about paying them a visit," said Penelope, as she took another bite of her dinner. "We have time to work on whatever tale we're going to spin. I don't think we need to give too many details, just enough that they don't think that you are in a sexual relationship with JJ and Emily, even if you are. They'd definitely raise hell if they knew about the fact that you were sleeping with me, plus JJ and Emily, even if I was okay with it, so as much as I hate to lie, even a little to Andy, Jeanne and Darrin it's really necessary to keep the peace. I don't want to break contact with them completely or for family relations to be stained at best"

"I think that it's also a good idea for Penny to be the only one to have children at least until after her brothers pass away," JJ said. "There's no way that we could adequately explain how Emily or even both of us were pregnant."

"Well, I could supposedly have been involved in a relationship that I broke off before I realized I was expecting," Emily suggested.

"That will probably work, but as for me I think it's a good idea if I just have one of those birth control implants put in," JJ said.

"You're forgetting the problem with you having a child Emily is they are bound to look at least somewhat like Dave. Now my brothers might not notice depending on how close the resemblance is, but Jeanne certainly will, as she's far more observant," Penelope said.

"She's right," Dave told Emily. "The baby has a good chance of looking like either one of us, because we both have those dark good looks, which tend to be dominant, so it's too risky. We need to try to keep the peace with her brothers and it's not like you're going to get to old to have children."

"Well, I suppose it will give JJ and I a break from having children," Emily gave in. "I'll get one of those implants to."

"Good," Dave said pleased, as Emily could be stubborn when she wanted to be, but she did listen to logical arguments, most of the time anyway. "Getting an implant means that we can still have our fun without you having to worry about taking a pill. Before it didn't matter if either one of you forgot to take a pill and got pregnant, but now it does. I would like at least a decent relationship with what remains of Penelope's family. I don't want to be constantly at odds with her brothers or sister-in-law or for our relationship to be strained. We might not see them much or we might see them at least once or twice a year for a few days, as it just depends on how it all works out."

"We could go out there for Thanksgiving or Christmas, at least some years," Penelope said. "My sister-in-law does this whole Thanksgiving deal, you know turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce..."

"Sounds good," JJ said smiling, taking a sip of a seltzer water.

"Oh, Jeanne is a great cook, as I've been up there for holidays before," Penelope said smiling.

"So any children?" Emily asked.

"Not yet," Penelope said, "but then they've only been married about four years, so they have plenty of time for children yet. I suspect they won't have more than two, maybe three, so it's not like there's any rush."

"Perhaps, you can start to tell your family about me in a few weeks," Dave said. "I'm sure you don't need my advice on how to do that."

"No," Penelope said smiling. "I'll just start mentioning you gradually. Tell them I started dating this great guy, then add more details as we go along. Mention how we went out to dinner for instance or how you took me to the vids. I'll casually mention Emily and JJ to and tell them all about you and how your cousins of Dave's and are living with him. Jeanne is more likely to pick up on the fact that I'm falling in love with you much faster than my brothers are. Of course, we won't let on at least for awhile that I'm already in love with you, as my brothers will accept it much easier if we've been supposedly dating for at least a few months."

"Sounds good," Dave said smiling, "but in order to make it realistic we going to have to do the things you mentioned, which is something that will give me great pleasure, since I know we didn't date in the normal sense, just went straight to sex and bonding. You can write that I'm courting you in the old-fashioned sense of the term and perhaps, in six months or so we can announce our engagement, then a few months after that get married in front of family and friends, so long as that's what you want, bella."

"Sounds wonderful," Penelope told him smiling rather sappily. "Of course, you have to meet my family before the actual wedding or at least that would be the proper thing to do."

"Of course, that was part of my plan all along," Dave grinned at her.

JJ and Emily watched this with smiles and knew that Dave and Penelope while already in love were well on their way to falling even deeper, but then that was the way it was with soulmate couples, even if in Dave's case he had three.

"Perhaps, at some point we could do a vid call, so that they could actually see you, instead of me just emailing them," Penelope said. "Let them talk to you at least, so they can be assured that you're not stringing me along."

"Well, you guys have the beginnings of a great plan," Emily commented, as she finished her dinner. "JJ and I will help out in anyway we can, but from behind the scenes, because this will be mainly your show."

"Yes, it will and we probably would've had to do something similar if I'd had any living relatives for Dave to worry about," JJ said smiling.

"But you didn't, so we're going to have to make sure we don't give anything secret away," Dave said, "since none of us have ever done anything like this before. If Penelope believed that her brothers and sister-in-law would accept an explanation about Immortals and soulmates then we'd just tell them the truth and avoid all this secrecy, but mortals who do believe in things that are supernatural or paranormal are few and far between and their getting rarer as technology and society advances."

"I'll start writing them tonight," Penelope said. "So how should we have met, since I just can't tell them we met over dinner or how that came about."

All four of them discussed it quietly until Dave requested the check when the waiter returned to the table to see if they needed anything.

Once the check was paid, the four of them rose from the table and headed to their two cars to head home.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	11. Chapter 11

Part 11

Four months later

"I think it's time that I meet your family," Dave told Penelope. "We've been supposedly dating for long enough now that I could be on the verge of proposing."

"Well, good because my brothers have been dropping rather unsubtle hints about meeting you," Penelope said. "They haven't been too insistent yet, but that will change pretty soon I'm sure."

"Well, good, that's excellent timing," Dave said smiling, as he kissed the top of Penelope's head. JJ and Emily watched this smiling

Emily had worried for nothing because Penelope fit into their dynamics very smoothly and it was almost like she had always been there. All four of them were very happy together and Dave had finally found the last piece of his soul, which made him more contented and happier then before.

"You can tell them we'll be coming out sometime in the next few days," Dave added. "Just for a few hours though, not overnight or anything and as much as I hate to say this it might be a good idea for just me and Penelope to go at least his first time."

"Yes, I agree with that," JJ said. "This first time should be just you and Penny and we can meet her family after you're introduced to them."

"That seems like the best solution," Emily added calmly. "You don't need to introduce your supposed cousins at least for the first meeting. It's just like any perspective groom meeting the bride's parents and family for the first time."

"Good," Dave said relieved that JJ and Emily understood the need for it to be just him and Penelope this time.

"You didn't need to be worried we'd be upset," JJ told Dave smiling. "Emily and I have known for sometime that you wouldn't want us along at least this first time and we've already discussed it between us. We'd love to meet Penelope's family, but it can wait for the second official meeting, since this situation is rather unusual."

"That's the truth," Penelope laughed lightheartedly. "So have you decided on what you want to tell my brothers and Jeanne about Emily and JJ?"

"I thought the stories we discussed over dinner that night a few months back fit," Dave said. "The story we're going to tell about JJ is actually the truth it just happened far in the past. As for Emily, since something like that has never happened to her we're just going to have to make it up as we go along."

"Luckily, for us Dave is pretty good at telling a fib," Emily told Penelope.

"He doesn't like doing it, but does it when necessary," JJ added.

"Well, you'll have to be, because while my brothers might not pick up on it Jeanne certainly will," Penelope said. "I don't really like the thought of lying to my brothers either, as I told you months back, but they'll never accept Dave's relationship with two other women or the fact that I'm perfectly fine with it. Perhaps, if they had gotten my grandfather's talent of the sight or even a partial talent like I did, it might be different. In fact, it probably would be, because there are so many unusual things you see when you have it, but they didn't, so they're more grounded in the here and now then I am."

"There's nothing wrong with being more down to earth," Dave told Penelope tenderly kissing her on the temple. "In fact, being farmers I would think that would help them out a great deal being closer to the land."

"Yeah, it does," Penelope admitted. "They seem to have a real knack with growing things."

"So back to the subject at hand you are going to tell them all about what happened to JJ before you met her without going into detail of course," Emily said. "And as for my backstory you'll have to make it up, because I don't have a history of an abusive boyfriend or husband like JJ does."

"I think we should keep it simple," Penelope said. "Keeping it simple is better so that we don't get confused, like you do when you give too many details and then lose track. I think we should just give my brothers a basic outline of what happened without going into details and really that's all they need to know. My family just needs a reason to accept that you have two other women living with Dave and I. I know that once they learn they're cousins and why they are living with you they won't inquire about it again. It's possible that my younger brother might hit on both of you though since he's currently unattached."

"Don't worry we know how to get rid of unwanted attention, as it has happened before," JJ promised.

"We'll be gentle about it, since he is your brother after all. We can just point out the age difference for one thing and also say that neither one of us wants to get involved in a relationship right now because of what happened," Emily added.

"Yeah, that'll make Darrin back off," Penelope said. "I don't think it would be serious, his interest in you, because I don't think he's interested in settling down right now, as he's only 22."

"So we'll be gentle when we turn him down," JJ promised.

"Besides, neither one of us is interested in becoming a farmer's wife, even if we weren't mates to another man," Emily added winking at Dave.

"Damn right," Dave growled playfully, causing the three ladies to laugh.

"You don't have to worry sweetie, you know we're not interested in anybody else," JJ told him winking.

"No, we're not," Emily agreed giving Dave a sexy smile.

"I know," Dave said calmly smiling. "So once we have worked out all the details of your backstories we can go to Boise and see Penelope's family and we should be back on the same day as I don't intend to stay overnight at least not this first time."

"We have to factor in the fact that Penelope deserves to keep in close contact with her family, so we'll likely be seeing a lot of each other, probably at least two or three times a year, even if it's only for a few days each time," JJ commented.

"Yes I know, which is why we don't need to give too many details about why you two are living with me, so that we get confused," Dave said. "We indicate the subject is off limits once we give them the basic details of why you moved in with me. We can always claim it's too painful to talk about, which would be true if it hadn't happened so long ago for JJ and hadn't happened to Emily at all."

"My family will respect that, although Jeanne might try to wheedle some of the details out of you, as she does tend to be a little nosy," Penelope said. "It's just her natural curiosity and since nothing like that has ever happened to her she won't realize how painful it might be to talk about."

"Don't worry we'll handle it if it happens," Emily promised.

"Well, it looks like we have a plan," Dave said smiling. "Why don't you contact your family and let them know we'll be paying them a visit sometime in the next few days. Perhaps, we can indicate while we're there that I intend on proposing within a couple of months, but that I wanted to meet your family first, which would only be proper. I won't even be lying, because I do intend to propose just as I did with Jennifer and Emily, even if it was hardly a surprise when I did," Dave added looking at Penelope who nodded.

"Believe me, I'll accept when you do," Penelope told him smiling kissing his cheek.

"It's not like there's any doubt," Dave told her also smiling. "You're more than halfway Immortal already considering how much sex we've been indulging in, so it won't be long before you're fully like the three of us. You may even be fully Immortal by now for all I know. Once you can fully feel the bond that's between us you'll never want to leave on your own free will."

"I don't want to leave now, whether I can feel the bond or not, which I can by the way, so that likely means I'm already fully Immortal," Penelope told him. "You know I was already halfway in love with you before we even met, but now, I've fallen the rest of the way, so I don't intend on going anywhere for more than a few hours without you."

Dave smiled happily at her while JJ and Emily watched the byplay smiling.

"I'll go contact my family now and let them know we'll be coming for a visit in a few days," said Penelope rising from where she was sitting and heading to contact her brothers and sister-in-law in Boise.

Dave, Emily and JJ watched her go looking at each other knowing that their lives were about to change where they would have to be much more careful about how they acted in public once Penelope's family was in the picture. It would be more than worth it they knew, so they were willing to do so, because Penelope deserved to remain close to her family until they passed away naturally, as she would be unhappy to break off all contact with them or at least keep it to email and vid calls. Luckily, they were used to playing different roles and so Penelope could remain close to her family until their natural deaths in a hundred years or so.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

Boise Idaho

Garcia Farm

"It's nice to finally meet you in person," Andy greeted Dave, shaking his hand.

"It is nice to meet you too," Dave said. "Penelope talks about you all the time in the most glowing of terms."

"We're always happy to hear from her," Darrin said, as he also shook Dave's hand.

"We were somewhat surprised when she started to write about how she met someone, but really we didn't think too much of it first," Andy admitted. "It was my wife that clued us into the fact that our sister might be in love."

"I told Dave you would be clueless and that it would be Jeanne that would figure it out," Penelope playfully scolded her brothers, already having been hugged and kissed them on the cheek by both of them.

"I admit we didn't expect it," Darrin shrugged.

"No, we didn't," Andy said. "Sure both of us hoped that you fall in love with a good man get married have a few children, but you seemed so happy with you work that this kind of hit us out of the blue.

"Of course, we worried about you at first, because New York can be a dangerous place, full of people that love to take advantage of someone who's naïve," Darrin added.

"But we were not so worried, once we talked with Dave over the computer," Andy said.

"Still we wanted to meet him in person," Darrin said,

"I knew you would," Penelope said. "I wouldn't have bothered to introduce you if it wasn't serious between us."

Jeanne came in just then carrying a tray with lemonade glasses.

"Thank you," Dave told her with a charming smile, taking one of the glasses.

"You're quite welcome," Jeanne told him blushing.

Penelope shook her head and knew that Dave wasn't even trying to be charming it was just part of who he was.

"So does that mean you will be here in about a proposal sometime soon?" Andy asked looking between his sister and her boyfriend.

"Yes," Dave answered honestly. "I've fallen in love with your sister and she's well aware of my feelings."

"I definitely am," Penelope said blushing again.

"Well, we'll worry less with her living in such a dangerous city, if she has someone that's concerned for her safety," Darrin said.

"I can look after myself, Darrin," Penelope scolded her brother. "I've been doing it for years already. I'm not some helpless damsel in distress."

"They're just concerned about you because they love you," Dave told Penelope. "New York is dangerous and yes, you've always been careful, but it won't hurt to have someone that cares about you in your corner close by."

"So Penny wrote about two other ladies that are living with you, Jennifer and Emily I believe," Andy asked.

"Oh, yes, my cousins from different siblings," Dave said calmly, sipping his lemonade.

David Rossi could lie with the best of them when necessary, though he'd never do that with Emily, JJ or Penelope, because for one thing they knew him to well and for another it might harm their relationship, something he would never risk.

"They both had a very rough time before they moved in with me, as JJ was beaten up by a boyfriend and ended up in the hospital for sometime. She was lucky to survive."

All the Garcias, except Penelope winced at that.

"She's not exactly afraid to live on her own, as she and Emily often go shopping or to the spa together, but still, she feels safer with me around and I'm happy to give her a home," Dave said. "The place that we bought has plenty of room for Jennifer and Emily and children when they come."

"That's awful," Jeanne said with considerable feeling.

"Yes, it wasn't right what happened, but at least the fella ended up in prison," Dave said.

"So what about Emily?" Andy asked, feeling genuine sympathy for Dave's cousin Jennifer.

"Well, Emily was actually married at one point," Dave said. "She fell in love and married him after a short courtship, but almost as soon as they were wed he started abusing her. Finally Emily had had enough, as he beat her bad enough that she'd lost the baby she was carrying. Normally, Emily isn't easy to fool, but her ex-husband acted all romantic and loving before they got married, where it all changed for the worst very rapidly. Emily's a really brave woman though and so testified against her ex-husband who swore revenge when he got out of prison. She just feels safer living with me, because there is no way to tell whether her ex-husband will make good on his threat if he's ever released."

"Man, I'm really sorry that happened to two of your cousins," Darrin said looking sick at what he was hearing

"It happens," Dave said calmly. "Believe me, I wanted to go deal with them myself, but since they're in prison, I suppose that will just have to do."

"So Penny are you okay with this?" Andy asked looking at his sister.

"Of course," Penelope assured her brother. "Emily, JJ and I are becoming good friends and it's kind of nice to have such close female friends, you know, as we connected right away. They're Dave's cousins after all, not some strange women that he's just living with. It might be a rather unusual situation, but at least Dave was willing to take them in, when so many wouldn't have been, family or not. I really don't mind if they're living with us as they give us privacy when we need it, as they have their own rooms and everything. Besides, they won't be able to hear a thing if we want privacy, due to the soundproofing. We'll also have two live in aunts when we have children, so we don't have to worry about hiring anyone or using a droid, whenever we want a little bit of time to ourselves."

The story they were spinning was partly a lie, even if in JJ's case anyway it was also the truth, but had happened far in the past. However, Dave told the supposed history of JJ and Emily in such a way that you couldn't tell they were not being completely truthful.

"Well, we'll be looking forward to the announcement," Andy said smiling, giving his seal of approval to Penelope's boyfriend soon-to-be fiancé.

"It won't be very long," Dave said smiling at his mate kissing her cheek. "Probably another few months."

"Another wedding to plan," Jeanne squealed, excitedly.

"Yes, you're welcome to help with that," Penelope promised. "Of course, JJ and Emily will also be helping."

"We'd love to meet them," Jeanne said.

"You will at some point, but we all just felt that they should stay behind this first time," said Dave. "Perhaps, we can come up here again, in another few weeks and bring JJ and Emily this time."

"You're always be welcome," Andy said Dave nodded gratefully.

"We are just really glad to see Penny so happy," Darrin said. "We were afraid for awhile that she would never find someone to settle down with, you know?"

"I'm only 31," Penelope reminded Darrin. "I still had plenty of time to settle down have a few children."

Penelope didn't mention that she knew something special lay in her future and that future had now arrived in the form of Dave, Emily and JJ.

"That might be true, but we knew you might've been happy with your work, but there is a difference between that and being happy in your personal life," Andy told his sister. "Yes, you might love what you do in finding holes in security systems and designing patches for them, as well as security programs and yes, it pays well, but it's not the whole equation to a happy and productive life."

"We won't have to worry about you anymore, because now you have Dave who makes you very happy and that's all we wanted for you," Darrin said.

"Could you stay for lunch?" Jeanne asked hopefully. "We haven't seen Penny in sometime."

"Of course, lunch sounds wonderful," Dave agreed easily, causing all four Garcias to beam at him happily.

"Well, we haven't seen Penny in awhile and now we know why," Darrin grinned at Dave and his sister.

Penelope blushed right on cue causing everyone to laugh, except for Dave who simply gave her hand a squeeze of affection.

"So little brother any girlfriends I need to worry about?" Penelope asked with the mischievous twinkling eyes

"Why would you ask me that?" Darrin asked blushing.

"If you can tease me about Dave, I can tease you about your love life to you know, as it's only fair," Penelope told him grinning not against a little harmless revenge. "After all, you're the last single Garcia."

"I'm too young to settle down," Darrin protested. "I'm only 22."

"I've known plenty of people that have settled down that young," Dave told him grinning at the byplay finding it all very amusing, but when you were over 800 years old you had to find your amusement somewhere.

"See what you started," Darrin accused his sister his tone gruff.

"Well then, you should've thought of that before you teased me about Dave, shouldn't you?" Penelope told him feeling no sympathy for her brother's predicament.

"Technically, Penny's right, you did start it and your can't just expect her to sit here and take it without responding," Jeanne told Darrin, definitely on her sister-in-law's side.

"What has the world come to when a brother can't tease his sister?" Darrin muttered grumpily.

"You can tease me all you want so long as you expect me to respond in kind," Penelope told him grinning. "After all, if a brother has the right to tease his sister then a sister has the right to tease her brother."

"Perhaps, you can come for Thanksgiving or Christmas?" Andy asked hopefully. "We could have the wedding right here at the farm."

"Whatever the lady wants," Dave told Penelope smiling.

"I would love to have our wedding here whenever Dave finally gets around to proposing that is," Penelope teased her mate.

"Give me a break, we've only known each other for about four months," Dave told her, trying to sound exasperated. "All you need to know right now is that I will propose, so it's not like it's going to be a surprise or anything."

"I suppose I can give you a break," Penelope said playfully.

Darrin, Andy and Jeanne watched the byplay grinning thinking that Penelope and Dave made the perfect couple. For Andy and Jeanne anyway it kind of reminded them of themselves and how they were goofily in love with each other.

"Well, since I know you will propose, I'll just start planning along with Emily, JJ and Jeanne," Penelope said.

"Yes, we can keep in contact over the link," Jeanne said. "If we do it at Christmas there'll be snow on the ground if we don't do it indoors."

"A beautiful winter wedding," Penelope said practically glowing at the thought.

"Whatever you want, bella," Dave told her with affection and love in his eyes.

"Something small and intimate," Penelope added. "I don't want a lot of the townspeople here, particularly those girls from school that were so nasty and mean to me as a child and a teenager."

"You ought to invite them, just to show them you're getting married to someone you love," Jeanne told her her sister-in-law. "Let them be green with envy that their predictions made out of jealously crashed and burned. They will be green with envy, because they aren't married, except for a couple of them and those that are, aren't very happy."

"Exactly what they deserve," Penelope said with some heat. "I would say, karma's come back to bite them in the ass. Maybe if they hadn't been such bitches, to anybody who wasn't in their close circle of friends, then they would be happy with their lives and their choices. I feel absolutely no sympathy for them, especially the ones that led the pack, even though I know mom and dad would want me to forgive them."

"Those girls caused you a great deal of emotional trauma and although you've mostly gotten past that time it doesn't mean you want to invite them to our wedding," Dave said. "But I wouldn't object us being seen around Boise, so that maybe you'll run into some of your former nemeses and we can make sure that word of your wedding out on the farm where you were born makes the rounds. Even if we don't they'll probably hear about it at some point."

"Sneaky," Jeanne said approvingly. "That you're already very successful in your chosen profession and on your way to being wealthy has already made the three leaders of those that teased you so cruelly green with envy, because we made sure your successes got to be known."

"The three that were so nasty to me and the ones that just followed along for fear of being ostracized don't matter anymore," Penelope said. "I got over my resentment and anger at their treatment a long time ago, but I don't intend to invite the three that bullied me to my wedding. They'll hear about it at some point, probably even before it takes places considering how rumors spread and I'm sure that they'll wonder why they weren't invited. They will then remember how every day when I went to school they'd tease me horribly and made my school experience unpleasant and then they will know why they weren't invited when the friends I did make will be at my wedding having a good time. I think that we should invite the girls that just followed along with Agnes, Julianna, Beatrix's for fear of being ostracized and also teased. Those three names I mentioned were the main instigators of my teenage misery and the rest of them just followed their leads, as I know that peer pressure can be immense."

"That's a really good idea. Most of the girls have changed considerably from when you were in high school. I have no doubt that some of them at least feel guilty for the way they treated not only you, but certain other people," Jeanne told Penelope approvingly before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Inviting them to your wedding could show them that you've let bygones be bygones, because yes, peer pressure can be immense," Dave said immensely proud of his mate. "To either follow along with the popular crowd or risk being their target."

"I bet you were never bullied," Darrin said.

"No, I wasn't," Dave agreed, not mentioning that he had gone to school in the 17th century and the lessons taught back then were way different than they were taught today. Back then girls and boys had totally different classes from each other as women didn't have careers except as homemakers. "But I also never did any bullying. My parents would've tanned my hide if I had done so, I promise you, if I ever had."

"Lunch is ready," Jeanne called from the kitchen a few minutes later.

Everybody trooped into the kitchen and sat at the table that was just big enough for all of them.

Everybody ate lunch and chatted with each other getting to know the other better, before Dave and Penelope took their leave.

"We can probably make it for Thanksgiving," Dave told everyone. "If we can't we'll let you know."

"Great we'll be expecting you then," Andy said smiling, glad to see his sister so content and happy that she was almost glowing. This David Rossi was obviously good for her, because he hadn't seen his sister this happy in a long time.

"You'll always be welcome here. Make sure you bring Jennifer and Emily next time," Andy said.

"We will," Dave promised. "They'll be very happy to meet you."

Dave and Penelope waved goodbye as Dave and Penelope left and headed for their car so they could catch their shuttle

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"That went rather well," Dave said, once he and Penelope were in their rented car heading back towards the shuttleport.

"Yes, it did," Penelope agreed. "It was so nice to spend a few hours with my family."

"We'll spend time with them as often as we can," Dave promised. "There're not going to be around for eternity after all. It really doesn't take long to go up there and I don't know why we can't spend a week or so with them several times a year. Of course, when we do we'll stay in Boise."

"Yeah, there's no room to stay with them anyway, especially once they start having children," Penelope said.

"There's also the fact, that I have no intention of sleeping without all my mates or not having sex with them whenever we have privacy."

"Something that my brothers and Jeanne would go ballistic over, especially Andy and Darrin," Penelope giggled.

"So we'll just rent a three bedroom suite whenever we stay in this area. Your family will probably never see the inside of our hotel room but you never know," Dave shrugged, truly not caring about the expense involved. "Besides, people talk and if we only rented a single hotel room your family might hear about it, so it's just better to rent a three bedroom suite. We'll make it look like Emily and JJ are using the other two rooms, even when they're not, since the maid will likely come clean the room once we leave and maids are people too and might gossip about what they find."

"Sounds good," Penelope said not having a problem with the way that Dave tended to spend money like JJ had so long ago. Her background growing up had been strictly middle class, but she had long since gotten over buying cheaply or at least not expensively, because she had plenty of money now after all, money she'd earned through her own efforts.

She freely admitted to herself anyway that she liked being spoiled and Dave was certainly doing a good job of it, as he treated her, Emily and JJ like they were his queens.

"We have time to work out the details as it's months until Thanksgiving," Penelope said. "You won my brother's over easily."

"Practice," Dave said. "Lots and lots of practice. Personally, I'd prefer not to lie, but I can when necessary."

"So you proved," Penelope smiled.

"I hope you know though, that I'd never lie to you though or Emily and JJ," Dave added looking a little worried.

"I know," Penelope promised him. "We have to do so many things that go against what we want just to protect the secret of Immortals. Still, I'd rather feel a little guilty then reveal such an important secret to the wrong person."

"I totally agree with that," Dave said relaxing. "Well, let's go home, shall we?"

"Or maybe we can see some of the sites," Penelope suggested.

"We'll do that sometime when Emily and JJ are with us," Dave said. "They might not want to go, but it's only polite to ask."

"Yes, yes, you're right," Penelope agreed. "So let's head back home."

"Sounds like a wonderful idea," Dave said smiling. "Perhaps, all three of us can do something together when we get back."

"Sounds good," Penelope said, "although a lazy night at home sounds good to. We don't have to go somewhere every night, as just spending time with you, Emily and JJ is wonderful."

"We'll see what Emily and JJ say, but I agree with you," Dave said smiling. "Sometimes a lazy night at home is just the ticket."

"There's always boardgames or some kind of card game for fun," Penelope suggested. "We could play Monopoly, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, Bridge, Spades, Poker, Rummy, Blackjack, Crazy Eights, even Go Fish."

"Yes, card games can often be fun," Dave agreed smiling, "and drinking games even more so."

"Well, there's a reason that they've been popular for centuries," Penelope pointed out, grinning.

"True," Dave agreed. "Even in a society that's very high-tech, some people just enjoy the simpler things in life, spending time with their families or their friends playing cards or a boardgame. We already own some of those games, Trivial Pursuit for instance has always been fun for the three of us and now you can be included."

"There's been a new version put out since the last time you likely bought Trivial Pursuit," said Penelope.

"Probably," Dave shrugged. "I hope there has been, because the old one, is kind of easy now. I guess we played it too often, so we sort of stopped, probably 50 years ago."

"The new version is computerized and it actually learns new questions to ask you so I doubt you'll be getting bored with it anytime soon," Penelope said.

"Well, that ought to be challenging," Dave smiled. "I'm sure Emily and JJ will agree. I don't think any of us knew about this new computerized version that learns new questions to ask you, but then we don't really pay attention to the advances in technology. Most people don't really."

"Well, as I pointed out sometime back this is a high-tech society," Penelope said, "and the old boardgames had to be updated if they were going to remain popular and big sellers. I'll contact Emily and JJ and let them know that we'll be home in a couple of hours."

"Good idea," Dave said and watched out of he corner of his eye as Penelope took out her link to text Emily and JJ, doing it quickly and effectively before putting it away again.

The two of chatted cordially until they arrived at the shuttleport and returned their car and they were just in time to catch the next shuttle flight to New York.

"Well, that was excellent timing," Penelope said smiling, as she and Dave sat down in their seats in the first class section, as David Rossi would never fly anything less then first class, unless it was a desperate situation.

"Yeah, it really was," Dave said, noticing that the first class wasn't very busy, as they basically had the compartment to themselves, with only a couple of harassed looking businessmen in two of the seats across from each other.

"Well, it looks like we lucked out and got the compartment basically to ourselves," Penelope said smiling.

"Well, what should we do while we are on our way to New York?" Dave asked smiling.

"Oh, I don't know," Penelope said pretending to consider it and then she simply kissed him and Dave responded immediately and kissed her back with all the passion and love that he had in him.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"So it went well?" JJ asked smiling, as Dave and Penelope entered their home.

"Are you asking or telling us?" Dave asked amused.

"Telling you, because you're all happy and relaxed and you wouldn't be if it hadn't gone well," JJ told them grinning

"She does have a point," Penelope told Dave, smiling herself.

"So she does," Dave told Penelope before kissing JJ on the lips.

"So where is Emily?" Dave asked us he looked around.

"She went to a vid," JJ answered. "She had already left when you texted. We weren't sure what time you'd be home or even if you'd be home tonight. She should be home probably in another hour."

"And you didn't want to go along?" Dave asked.

"Not this time," JJ said shaking head. "Emily asked me, but I just wanted a nice, quiet night at home. I just wanted to stay here and start that book I've been wanting to read and have a few hours of peace and quiet to myself."

"Well, the three of us can do something together until Emily returns," Penelope said.

"Sounds good," Dave said smiling. "And yes, it went very well."

"Dave charmed my sister-in-law in particular," Penelope giggled, "but yes, my brothers like him a great deal."

"They also want to meet you and Emily and I told them we could probably come for Thanksgiving," Dave added.

"So they accepted what you told them of why you're living with two other women?" JJ asked.

"Yes, they did," Dave said smiling. "I know how to lie when it's required, even if I don't like to do so."

"So you do," JJ laughed. "Yes, I know all of us would rather be honest, but considering we're Immortal that's not possible all the time."

"Yeah, I know," Dave sighed. "Still, lying to Penelope's family, makes me feel incredibly guilty, but she certainly knows them better than I do, and she was sure they would never accept our unusual relationship. I'd rather avoid trouble from that quarter, so I knew it was necessary."

"And you also wanted her to be able to retain a relationship with them," JJ said.

"Definitely," Dave agreed. "I would have wanted the same for you if you'd had any living relatives when we found each other."

"Well, it all worked out about as good as can be expected," Penelope said, as she snuggled into Dave's side. "You'll just have to be careful not to seem like you're involved with JJ and Emily whenever we go to visit."

"We do that all the time when we're out in public," JJ said smiling. "We act like we're just friends instead of lovers, so it shouldn't be too hard to do around your brothers and sister-in-law."

"Yeah, we've had plenty of practice in that area," Dave agreed smiling.

"Of course, anybody who's really observant would be able to see the sexual vibes between us, but it's not like that can be helped as there's nothing we can do about them anyway," JJ said shrugging.

"Most people aren't that observant, so it's not often a problem," Dave said.

"Even if they are they don't do anything about it, because it's none of their business and it's not like they can prove anything," JJ added. "Even if they do it's not like we're doing anything wrong."

"We've never had any trouble," Dave said. "I don't expect that to change, just because we've now added you, Penelope. It might seem rather unusual that I'm hanging out with three ladies all the time with never another man present but that's not our problem."

"It is rather unusual for a man to have three ladies as friends, even if one of us plays the wife without at least one other man present whose a boyfriend of one of the ladies or a friend of yours. It does happen sometimes though, so I doubt anybody will pay attention," Penelope said.

"Some who like to people watch probably will and likely envy us," JJ shrugged. "The men will likely envy Dave for having three such beautiful ladies around him and the women will likely think that us ladies are the luckiest women in the world to have such a handsome man at our beck and call."

Just then Emily came in the front door. "Well, look who's home," Emily greeted Dave and Penelope.

"How was the vid?" Penelope asked.

"Really good, you might want to see it," Emily told Penelope.

"Well, now, that all of us are home I'll just go set the alarm, since I don't think we plan on going anywhere for the rest of the day," Dave said smiling kissing Emily on the lips just as he had done to JJ earlier.

"My brothers want to meet you and JJ," Penelope told Emily. "Dave won them over easily."

"Dave's good at that," Emily said smiling. "He has a natural charm that wins over most people."

"So I'd rather talk myself out of the situation then have to get into a fight," Dave said shrugging nonchalantly. "Talking yourself out of the situation causes far less problems then getting into a fight or an argument."

"And I happen to agree with that," JJ said. "Sometimes it doesn't work, but mostly it does."

"Well, sometimes people don't want to listen to logic," Emily said. "In any case, we mostly stay under the radar."

"The only problem with having natural charm is that other women want him for themselves," JJ said smiling.

"It never works though, as he always manages to extract himself rather speedily when such a situation pops up," Emily added smiling, as she remembered a few of the times it had happened.

"He's gotten really good at it," JJ added.

"Well, I can't wait to see him in action," Penelope said smiling.

The four of them chatted and laughed easily with each other and just enjoyed being in each others company.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

Five years later

"I'm pregnant! I'm pregnant!" Penelope squealed excitedly.

"You are?" Dave's face beamed at her.

"I am, although we'll have to go to the doctor to confirm," Penelope said.

"I'm so happy!" Dave said, as he picked up Penelope up in his arms and swung her around causing her to giggle.

"Well, we should've expected it, since we've been together over five years, closer to six really," Penelope said.

"Well, you certainly did notice the signs sooner than JJ did, but then none of us were expecting it at the time," Dave said.

"And this time we were," Penelope smiled kissing Dave passionately.

"Well, we know it could happen after five years," Dave said. "I'm glad it did actually because your brothers and sister-in-law have been wanting a niece or nephew and now they're going to get one."

"Yeah, I had to tell them I wasn't doing anything to prevent conception it just hadn't done any good until now," Penelope sighed. "I knew why, but I couldn't tell them that. Besides, they have no right to talk, as they didn't have a child for nearly 5 years."

"Well, not everybody gets pregnant within the first year or two of the marriage," Dave shrugged, "and they would have been aware of that. Still, they'll be happy that you're pregnant now and will have a child in nine months."

"I probably haven't been pregnant more than a month, maybe six weeks. The doctor can tell us how long ago I conceived," Penelope said.

"Try to get an appointment for today," Dave said. "I'm really anxious to have it confirmed."

"Me to," Penelope agreed her brown eyes sparkling excitedly. "Let's go tell JJ and Emily and you know they'll be ecstatic, as they must've known that it would likely be soon when I conceived."

"Yeah, could've happened anytime after the 5 year mark," Dave agreed. "Five years that marks your time as an Immortal, as really we've been together for nearly 6 years, but for part of that you were still mortal."

"And it couldn't happen until after I was," Penelope said.

"No, as far as I know an Immortal can't get a mortal pregnant, which is a good thing since some Immortals are rather careless," Dave said shaking his head.

"It's just as well, as it would have people living longer than is humanly possible," Penelope smiled.

"Humans can live much longer now, but I doubt they'll ever live to be 500 years old or more, no matter how much medical technology improves," Dave said. "Still, they can live to be 200 or so depending on general health and so forth and that's really quite an accomplishment from when I was born."

"Yes, they can," Penelope said smiling, as she kissed Dave passionately. "Let's go tell JJ and Emily the good news, shall we?"

"They'll be ecstatic for us and you know it," Dave said smiling hugely. "I'm sure they've been expecting the announcement any day now, since we all knew you weren't doing anything to block conception. Ilithyia, has indeed blessed us and I'm eternally grateful."

"You have every reason to be," Penelope told him smiling. "I'm very happy about this pregnancy, very happy indeed and I can't wait until he or she is born."

"Yes, I know how much you wanted a child with me," Dave said, as he hugged Penelope close to him rubbing her belly tenderly to where he just knew that their child was growing. "But then so did I."

"Really, I just wanted a child with someone I loved, but it doesn't really matter now, because I'm pregnant," Penelope corrected smiling, her brown eyes sparkling happily.

"I can't wait until you bloom with him or her. I'm going to spoil you rotten, more than I usually do," Dave promised smiling, his dark brown eyes twinkling happily. "I'm going to give you back and foot massages when you're back or feet aching due to the pregnancy, get up and fix you midnight snacks when you get hungry due to the baby growing within you and anything else you need."

"It sounds wonderful," Penelope smiled. "You can't ignore Emily or JJ though, just because you're paying more attention to me."

"They would understand, but you're right," Dave said. "However, I have had children before from one or both my mates at basically the same time so we've kind of worked up a routine, you know? I still plan to spend plenty of time with the one that isn't pregnant or in this case two. Still, as you get farther along most of my attention will be focused on you and JJ and Emily will help out as much as they can. That's the way it worked out every time Emily and JJ were pregnant, even if they were pregnant only a few months apart and neither one resented me for that as they understood that the whoever was pregnant was my priority. They're both intelligent ladies after all, and the bond prevents jealousy, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. I'll get an appointment with a doctor, as soon as possible," Penelope said smiling. "I haven't had a doctor ever since I was turned Immortal, so I guess I'm just going to have to do a background check on a number of them to make sure they're clean, with no bad vices. I would also prefer a female physician."

"Well, luckily, they're quite common nowadays," Dave said smiling. "You're lucky that you live in a modern century, because Emily wasn't so lucky back when we had our first child or even our second. All doctors were male back then, although there were midwives, but unfortunately, there were no midwives available back when Emily was pregnant that first time."

"Well, luckily, that's not going to be a problem, since as you said we live in a very modern world, one where they are common " Penelope said.

The two of them left the bedroom to find Emily and JJ who had already gotten dressed for the day.

They found JJ and Emily in the kitchen, with JJ cooking breakfast and Emily sitting at the table reading the paper.

"Well, we wondered where you got to this morning," Emily said smiling looking up from her paper.

"Well, we just had some rather good news," Penelope told them.

JJ looked away from where she was cooking scrambled eggs, toast and bacon to look at the way Penelope was glowing.

"You're pregnant?" JJ asked, although it was really more of a statement.

"Am I that obvious?" Penelope asked smiling broadly.

"You can't really hide something like that," Emily said also smiling. "It's as obvious as the nose on your face, particularly considering you're glowing. Neither JJ or I know any other reason as to why you glowing, except for the fact that you're pregnant."

"She is," Dave said with a massive grin kissing Penelope on the cheek.

"Well, we expected something like this sometime soon," JJ admitted smiling looking at her sister who nodded.

"We all knew that you weren't using any protection to prevent yourself from getting pregnant and it has been nearly 6 years after all, although for the first six months or so you were still mortal so those months don't really count, because a mortal, as far as we know can't get pregnant from one of our kinds seed," Emily said.

"Very logical," Dave complimented Emily who grinned at him.

"Thank you, but as JJ said we were expecting you to make an announcement any day now, so while we are delighted, we're not surprised," Emily replied.

"At least this will get Jeanne off my back," Penelope said. "My brothers to, as they've been wanting a niece or nephew for sometime. I told them that I wasn't doing anything to prevent myself from getting pregnant it just hadn't happened and while we all knew why I couldn't tell them that."

"Yes, this will finally get your family off your back," JJ said, as she served up scrambled eggs bacon and toast.

"Oh, it's only been a little annoying, instead of a majorly," Penelope said. "I can understand them wanting a niece or nephew, so now they're going to get their wish."

"And hopefully, they'll be another child in another five years," Dave said smiling at the thought.

"And then maybe one after that," Penelope said smiling. "I'm going to stop after that because by then technically, I'll be too old to have a child safely. Yes, I know I'm not aging at all now, but my family doesn't, so it's better if I stop after the third pregnancy. Besides, there are our neighbors to consider as well."

"I think 3 five years apart is plenty," JJ said smiling. "I wish that Emily and I could have some too, but you were right when you said that we don't want your family to think anything strange is going on between us."

"There's still plenty of time for that after they pass away and none of you are going to get to old to have children safely," Dave said.

"It can wait another hundred years, although I'm certainly looking forward to that day where all three of you are pregnant within months of each other," JJ said.

"Or perhaps it's better for one of us to have a child before another one gets pregnant," said Penelope.

"Yeah, it'd be easier dealing with one hormonal woman at a time rather than three," Emily said smiling.

"That's probably a good idea," Dave said. "It will make it easier for me to be able to help look after you, once you get to your third trimester, then if I had all three with only a few months pregnancy between you."

"And one advantage is you have three nursemaids right away," Emily reminded Dave. "You won't have to worry about hiring anyone who would disapprove of our relationship."

"There is that," Dave agreed smiling. "We can just hire a babysitter when we all want to go out to dinner or something."

"Well, we can figure that out later," Penelope said. "I'll be doing background checks on various doctors."

"We never did that before," JJ said.

"You never had an expert hacker before either," Penelope told her. "If I'm going to find a doctor I want to make sure I can trust her. Not all doctors are good people, as you hear about ones who lose their licenses all the time."

"There's no harm in checking backgrounds," Dave told JJ and Emily. "Penelope is an excellent hacker we might as well use her talent."

"Yes, that's true," Emily said.

Penelope went to her computer that was sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch, opened it up and quickly started typing away.

"Well, she'll be busy for awhile," Dave said smiling. "Why don't you to go and relax I'll clean up from breakfast."

"Sounds fine," JJ said.

This was normal routine for them. She had cooked breakfast, so Dave was going to clean up. JJ was well aware that a lot of men wouldn't even do that much and leave it all to the wife, but Dave always helped out with the chores, so that they didn't take that long to get done, because they split them. Because they did they didn't need hire any help to cook or clean or do laundry and didn't have to use droids like so many people did.

The three of them separated and went to do their separate things, while Penelope was busy on her computer looking up female physicians and doing background checks.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	12. Chapter 12

Part 12

"So Penny is indeed pregnant?" JJ asked, looking for confirmation.

"Yep!" Dave said grinning like a loon. "The doctor confirmed that after some tests. A little bit over two months along."

"Great! We're soon going to have a baby!" Emily said, as she jumped up from where she was sitting and gave Penelope a hug and then kissing Dave on the lips she was so happy.

"Well, I'm glad you're pleased at the news," Penelope teased Emily.

"Of course we are," JJ said smiling looking just as happy. "It's been awhile since either Emily or I have had a child, which was on purpose, because we wanted a break. It's just as well really, because we found you shortly after our son and daughter went off to college. It would have caused problems if either one of us had been pregnant or had a young child once we did find you, because of your family, though I suppose we could have said that they were a child from a previous relationship."

"So long as they didn't look too much like Dave, yes, we could have done that, but still, I think it turned out better that our last child had just gone to college, even If I know I didn't agree at first," Emily said.

"Yes, I met your children remember and thought they were great," Penelope said smiling.

"Well, they certainly fell in love with you," Dave said grinning. "They were very happy that I had finally found my last mate, so they were prepared to love you sight unseen, but by the time they left to go back to college they really had fallen in love with you."

"What can I say I'm just a very lovable person," Penelope said teasing Dave.

"Yes, you are," Dave agreed with a smile. "You're very outgoing cheerful, also intelligent and honest and my children know how to read people, though they can certainly refine the skill."

"I'm sure they'll be happy when they find out that you're pregnant," Emily said smiling.

"Ecstatic," JJ agreed.

The two children of Dave, Emily, JJ, were both around the same age with only a few months between them, as one was JJ's and the other Emily's and had been born within three months of each other. The two of them were now going on 24 years old, so they were still aging at a normal human pace but that would stop in just five years and a few months."

"We'll have to inform the rest of the family too," Dave said smiling. "I'm sure that all our children will be ecstatic that they'll soon have some half siblings.

"Half siblings? JJ asked. "Not sibling?"

"Oh, didn't we tell you," Penelope said with a giggle. "It's twins."

"Twins?" Emily asked blinking in shock at the news looking totally stunned.

"Twins," Dave said grinning, even more hugely now. "The doctor told us that."

"Wow!" Emily said shaking her head in amazement. "Twins are so rare for Immortals that I never imagined I'd be hearing those words."

"Ilithyia must really be pleased with us," JJ added smiling.

"Yes, because Immortals don't have twins very often," Dave agreed smiling.

"Well, twins do run in my family," Penelope told all of them.

"That would not matter if Ilithyia wasn't pleased with us," Dave told her. "I think Immortals only have twins once every few centuries and it only happens to special couples that have pleased her in some way, because otherwise it's singletons every time."

"Well, I'm certainly glad she's pleased with us then," Penelope said smiling, "and I still intend on having another five years after these are born."

"Well, I think that's a good plan, because we've only had two to four at one time before," Dave said.

"By the time the third child is born they'll be nearly 6 years old, which is old enough to help out."

"Be assigned chores," Emily agreed

"Help out with the new baby," JJ added.

"Also make sure they do their homework and get to school on time," Penelope added.

"They won't have much homework at that age as they will only be in preschool, but still, we want to get them into the habit of studying, before they get to elementary school, so they'll do well in their classes," JJ said.

"This is something we discovered over the centuries," Emily told Penelope. "We encourage our children as much as possible, make sure they develop good study habits, even while still incredibly young, so that they do better by the time they get to high school and then college. A lot of children are smart, but they're parents don't encourage them in the right way or sometimes at all and so they're lazy, not willing to put in any extra effort to do well in school and get mediocre grades at best."

"And some have to study harder, because they are not as intelligent," Penelope added, "but that shouldn't be true for any child that Dave has with any of us, because all of us are incredibly intelligent and Dave is very intelligent himself."

"A lot of children are smarter than their parents or anybody else gives him credit for," JJ said.

"But then some need help and a lot of times they don't get that help," Dave said.

"Yeah, I know and that's sad, but there's nothing we can do about it," Emily said.

"No, unfortunately, there's not," Penelope agreed.

"I'm really excited about this upcoming birth in just seven months now," JJ said giving Penelope a hug. "Twins! If you have twins once it's likely that you'll have them multiple times over the next few centuries."

"Yeah, I know and that's very happy news," Dave said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Too bad we don't know the sex yet," Emily sighed

"We should be able to find out at my next appointment," Penelope said.

"Yeah, I know you can tell at three months," JJ said.

"Which isn't really all that far away, just a few weeks really," Dave said smiling. "It's going to be hard to wait though, so I agree with you ladies on that. This will be the first babies with my final mate and the first two in nearly 24 years, so all of us have a right to be very excited."

"Still, the time should pass fast," Penelope said.

"So what do you think you'll have the same-sex or boy and a girl?" asked Emily.

"It's more likely to be boy/girl because they are the most common," Penelope answered. "However, fraternal twins girls are also pretty common, so we could get either one. The chances of us getting either girl/girl or boy/boy are 25%, while getting a boy/girl is 50%."

"So they will likely be girl/boy then," JJ said smiling.

"That's the strongest possibility yes," Penelope agreed. "That's not to say that I can't get pregnant with one of the other combinations, but we'll just have to wait a few weeks to find out."

"Well, we had better start setting up the nursery then," Dave said smiling.

"I think we can wait until we know the sexes," Penelope told him. "After that though, yes, we need to start setting up one of the rooms as a nursery if they're the same sex or two if they're different."

"I think while they're young that they can share one room," Dave said. "When they get a little older like two or three then we can give them their separate spaces and that's only if they aren't the same sex, as the rooms are roomy enough for two."

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Penelope agreed. "They aren't going to know the difference after all, at least until they're two or three years old."

"It'll make it easier to check on them, feed them and stuff like that if they're in one room," JJ said.

"Once they don't need to be fed from your breast or a bottle then you can think about putting them in two separate rooms," Dave said.

"This is so exciting," Emily said and Emily, along with JJ did indeed look excited.

"Yes, it really is," JJ said. "The first twins born in our family, with likely many more over the centuries."

"I suspect so, because as I said they do run in my family," Penelope said.

"But your brothers aren't twins," Emily said.

"No, they're not, but twins run through the female line and in this case, they run through my father's family," Penelope said. "My father did have several sisters and they had one set of twins each, so yes, they're multiple sets of twins in my family, all fraternal. Sometimes fraternal twins run in families, identical ones don't though as they're random."

Andy and Jeanne now had two boys, who were five and three respectively. Jeanne had gotten pregnant shortly after Penelope had met Dave. They were planning on having a third sometime in the next few months and Penelope knew that her brother and sister-in-law were hoping for a girl this time.

"I can't wait to go shopping for baby things," JJ said looking excited. "We gave all our baby things away once our children were past that stage and we weren't planning on having anymore for awhile."

"We can always buy more," Dave said with a careless shrug, "and the family we gave it to needed it more than we did, as it would cost them a lot to buy all that stuff and they were on a very tight budget. We saved them hundreds of dollars at the very least, probably thousands."

"A couple of thousand anyway, because we had high quality baby equipment, clothes, bottles, car seat, etc," Emily said.

"Yeah, we are never going to buy cheap since we don't need to," JJ agreed.

"Which is a switch for you," Dave teased her gently.

"Alright, so I was used to watching what I spent that it took me a long time to break the habit," JJ said taking the teasing with good grace.

"You did though, that's all that matters," Dave told her, giving her a hug and a kiss.

"I'm going to contact my brothers and let them know that they can be expecting twins sometime in the next few months," Penelope said smiling.

"You go do that and you know they'll be very happy with the news," Emily told her and Penelope nodded grinning.

"Yes, they will," Penelope said smiling before she went to contact her two brothers and sister-in-law.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Oh, look at all the cute little outfits," JJ cooed.

"Yes, they are adorable," Penelope said smiling, as she browsed the extensive collection of baby clothes.

The store they were in was very high end and was exclusively for babies, toddlers and young children. They sold clothes for children and also all the other paraphernalia that went along with babies and toddlers.

"You have to come back after your babies are born so that we can choose the perfect outfits for them," The salesclerk who had offered her assistance said.

"Well, they're likely to look like their father who has black hair, dark brown eyes and slightly darker skin then my own," Penelope said. "Still, I will be back after these two are born, as I really like your selection."

The salesclerk beamed at Penelope making Emily and JJ giggle quietly.

"We still need to finish setting up the nursery and we only have a few months to go in order to accomplish that, as I'm over four months pregnant now," Penelope said, patting her tummy.

"And twins are usually always early," the clerk said and Penelope nodded.

"Exactly, so I want to have everything set up and ready for when they're born," Penelope said. "I don't want to be rushing around too close to my due date trying to get everything ready."

"Which is only sensible and practical," the clerk said.

"So I think we'll buy lots of clothes now and we can come back after they're born and buy more," Penelope told the clerk who nodded smiling. The clerk expected a large commission for helping Mrs. Rossi and her two friends choose whatever they needed, whether that was clothes, a crib, baby monitor or anything else that went with having a newborn in the house, much less two of them.

"So let's just assume that your children are going to have their father's black hair and both of your brown eyes, so we want to choose clothes that will make them look good," the clerk said.

"Whatever children we have are going to have their father's black hair, because there are no blondes in the Rossi family, at least not in the last few generations," Penelope said. "It's possible that some of our children will get brown hair, since that's another dominant color and it does run in both sides of our family, just not blonde."

"So let's see," the clerk said, as she started picking baby clothes off racks, as she handed them to one of the women to examine.

By the time that the clerk was done Penelope, JJ and Emily had decided on a whole bunch of clothes, for when the twins were born for both girls and boys and the price didn't even make any of the three women wince.

"So now that clothes shopping is out of the way we need a crib, two rocking chairs, baby monitors, two dressers, two changing tables, burp cloths, diapers, bottles..." Penelope said naming off the items that they really needed to buy before her twins were born.

With every item named the clerk's eyes lit up just a little more because it did look like her commission was going to be quite large, maybe the biggest she had ever received.

"Right this way," the clerk said smiling. "We have free delivery for those that spend over $2000."

"Well, I think we're going to manage to do that," Emily said smiling.

"Considering how much we're buying I would say so," JJ said laughing.

The clerk took her time showing her three customers everything they would need for the babies once they were here, so that by the time Emily, JJ and Penelope left they had spent well over $10,000, leaving the clerk very happy and promising to have all the furniture and things delivered within a couple of days.

"So where to next, now that we've bought out the baby store?" Emily asked smiling.

"Lunch, I'm starving," Penelope told them firmly.

"Alright," JJ agreed.

"Yes, both of us remember those days well, even though it's been, 25 years since we were pregnant," Emily agreed.

"And we were only carrying one apiece instead of two, so it must be far worse for you then it was for us," JJ added.

"It is now that I'm in the middle of the second trimester," Penelope said. "I seem to be hungry all the time, well, either that or I'm peeing. I feel as if my bladder is the size of a walnut lately."

"Yeah, I definitely sympathize, considering I thought that my bladder was the size of pea by the third trimester, but since you are carrying twins the peeing and being hungry all the time are starting earlier for you," Emily said.

"So worth it though," JJ said.

"Definitely!" Emily and Penelope agreed.

"It doesn't mean I can't wait for these two to be born," Penelope said patting her stomach lovingly. "The things women go through in order to have a family..."

"But at least Dave is really good at doing whatever you need, rubbing your aching feet or back, getting you a snack and so forth," Emily said,

"Yeah, he definitely get's an A in that area," Penelope said, causing JJ and Emily to laugh. "I really don't know what I'd do without him."

"Well, luckily, you're never going to have to find out," JJ said, as she drove to one of their favorite restaurants for lunch.

"Yeah, luckily," Penelope said, as tears started to fall and she started sniffling. Soon she had burst into tears for what seemed no reason

"Hey, no crying," Emily ordered playfully.

"I don't know what came over me," Penelope said, as she struggled to control her emotions and stop crying for no reason.

"Hormones that's all," JJ suggested. "Both Emily and I went through this same stage everytime we got pregnant."

"Yeah, hormones," Emily agreed. "Sometimes your emotions just overwhelm you for whatever reason and so you leak."

"I'm just so happy, with you two and Dave, not to mention that soon I'll have twins with the man I love I guess my emotions just got the better of me, because I knew I was really lucky to find such a considerate lover and husband," Penelope said.

"Which is perfectly natural," JJ told her.

"Feeling better?" asked Emily.

"Much better," Penelope promised. "It's a good thing that my makeup is smudge and run proof though."

"Now that's a statement I definitely agree with," Emily said cheerfully. "It definitely comes in useful when your emotions get the better of you, even if that usually only happens during pregnancy."

"Let's go eat, I'm starving," Penelope said, as she opened the car door.

"Yeah, I remember those days," JJ said and Emily nodded in agreement, as they to got out of the car following their friend and sister into the restaurant.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Well, you are coming along just fine for your due date," Celina Moorehead told Penelope and her husband. Celina was a doctor that Penelope had chosen and she seemed to be a good choice, as she was kind but firm, empathic and caring.

"So the babies should be born sometime in July then," Dave said.

"I would say June because twins are always earlier," Celina told Dave who nodded. "So long as Penny can get past the six month mark the babies should be okay, though they would need to spend some time in an incubator. However, I would prefer her to carry them at least until the beginning of the eighth month, especially since it's twins, instead of a singleton. If she can carry them past that all the better, as they have a better chance of not being too severely underweight.

"We can hardly wait," Penelope said smiling.

"Yes, we're very excited," Dave said, as he casually slung an arm around his mate's enormous waist, as she was just over five months along. No, it wouldn't be long now before she gave birth, just four months, although it would probably be within two or possibly three.

"I don't blame you," Celina said smiling, as she had really gotten fond of the Rossis over the last few months. "A baby is always a really exciting event and when it's more than one even more so."

"Yes, we're really looking forward to our son's and daughter's births," Dave said smiling happily. "This will be our first two since we got married."

"Yes, I know, so I can't blame you for being excited," Celina told them. "So you planning on having more?"

"In a few years yes," Penelope agreed. "Once these two are three or four years old and not so much of a handful, you know?"

"Luckily, we have a lot of help, so we won't not have any problem with feedings and such," Dave said.

"Oh?" Celina asked.

"My cousins have been living with us, Jennifer and Emily," Dave explained. "Let's just say they've had some bad experiences with men and so I offered them a home for as long as they wished it. They've been living with me for years already and I don't think they're any any danger of moving out."

"Which is fine as it gives Dave and I somebody to look after the children when we want some time alone," Penelope giggled. "We don't have to worry about finding a babysitter we can trust."

"Well, that's certainly convenient," Celina said amused.

"It is," Dave told hug when charmingly. "It's a rather unusual situation I'll admit, but they're my cousins after all, and we certainly have the room for them plus any children we have. I love having them live with me and they and Penelope have certainly become good friends."

"Oh, we have," Penelope agreed smiling. "We do a lot of things together, go shopping, to the vids, discuss girl things that Dave doesn't want anything to do with."

Celina chuckled at that knowing exactly what Penelope was referring to.

"Yes, there are some things that a man doesn't need to know about his wife or any woman really," Dave said.

"It was really nice of you to take your two cousins in," Celina told Dave who smiled.

"What can I say I can't resist a damsel in distress," Dave told her with a charming grin.

"Dave is like one of those knights of old," Penelope teased him. "Gallant, charming, romantic, kind, loving, a true gentleman is Dave. Don't think I'm not aware that I was incredibly lucky to have found him."

"We were both lucky," Dave corrected kissing his wife on the cheek affectionately.

Celina tried not to chuckle again, but it was hard because the Rossis were so amusing, though it was obvious that they loved each other deeply and completely.

"Well, you and the twins are perfectly healthy and free to set up another appointment with me next month," Celina told them.

"Thank you, doctor," Dave told Celina shaking her hand. "All of us are very excited about the upcoming birth."

"Yeah, Emily and JJ are over the moon," Penelope said smiling. "They're really looking forward to helping out with the twins once they're born."

"See we have live in childcare who are already prepared to help out," Dave told Celina grinning.

"Which will make it easier on us, as I'm sure we'll work up a schedule so Dave and I don't have to be up too many times in a night," Penelope said. "I'm bound to get more sleep than I normally would with twins simply because we have two people that are eager and willing to help us out."

"Yes, they can be bottle-fed when necessary," Dave said

"Well, it sounds like you have it all worked out," Celina said smiling.

"Yes, we're very organized," Penelope told the doctor. "With two babies to take care of soon we need to be organized so things will be easier. We've already bought everything necessary for when the babies get here bottles, burp cloths stuff like that."

"We've already set up the nursery too," Dave said smiling, "although there's still some work to be done just not much."

"Well, sounds like you have everything under control," Celina said.

"We do," Dave agreed. "And both of us are really looking forward to the birth."

"I can't blame you," Celina said smiling watching them leave hand in hand. She knew love when she saw it and Dave and Penelope were definitely deeply in love, so she knew their marriage wasn't going to end in divorce anytime in the future, like so many did.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"That feels great," Penelope said sighing in contentment, as Dave massaged her feet and her ankles which were aching like crazy. "You sure do have a talent for getting my back, feet and ankles to stop hurting."

"Thank you," Dave said modestly. "It was a talent I discovered that when Emily was pregnant that first time. She was hurting really bad one night and I simply started massaging her ankles, which were the worst. We discovered that I was quite talented at giving massages, so that by the time I was done she wasn't aching so badly. There wasn't any medicine back then that she could take to help with the aches, like there is nowadays. My talent still comes in useful when one of you ladies is pregnant, so I'm happy to do anything I can to help out, because you're carrying two children after all, which is bound to be harder than carrying just one."

"Well, you have a real talent," Penelope told him. "You could become a massage therapist and make a bundle."

"No, I don't think so," Dave said, shaking his head. "I might be good at it, but I doubt I would be as good if I was doing strangers. I'm pretty sure my talent is linked to my emotions and since I love you, JJ and Emily, that emotion goes into my hands, which is what makes me so good at massaging your body when you need it."

"It's just as well," Penelope decided. "I'm sure the three of us would be jealous if you took it up as a profession. All those women who would likely want a piece of you, just because you were handsome and talented in giving massages, which could lead to other things."

There was no need to elaborate, Dave knew that Penelope was talking about sex.

"No, need to worry, love, as I have no intention of taking it up as a profession," Dave said rubbing some oil onto Penelope's back. "I'll happily use my talents on you, Jennifer and Emily, but that's as far as I'm willing to go."

"Good," Penelope said, as she felt Dave rub the oil all over her back and massage it into her skin. It felt bloody wonderful.

"I can't wait for these babies to be born," Penelope said.

"Can't blame you, especially since you're carrying twins," Dave said. "Getting pregnant and giving birth might be a natural process, but it's a damn uncomfortable one."

"Well, these massages you give me, help," Penelope said, as she felt the sensation of Dave massaging her ankles, helping to relieve the swelling.

"Still, once these babies are born I'll get pregnant again in five years and that's a promise," Penelope told him seriously. "It might be uncomfortable, particularly in the latter stages, but it's worth it, because we get a baby or babies to love."

"I'm glad to hear you say that," Dave told her, as he tenderly kiss the side of her neck.

"I can stand a little discomfort," Penelope told him. "Still, I'm probably carrying at least 60 extra pounds around with me and I need to gain at least 30 more before they're born, which is only a couple of months away."

"That should be possible though," Dave said, as he kissed the nape of Penelope's neck this time, causing her to sigh in contentment.

"Considering the way you feed me yes, it's very possible," Penelope agreed smiling. "I'm certainly eating healthier than I would if I ate out all the time."

"I want these babies to be healthy and you as well," Dave said seriously. "You're going to have to lose considerable weight once these babies are born, but there's no point of putting on more pounds then necessary, because that will just make it harder to lose once you do give birth. I know how much JJ and Emily denied themselves every time they gave birth, until they were back to their original weight. Yes, exercising did help them and it will help you to, but still, it took considerable effort."

"I'm not sure I like exercising very much, even though I know it's necessary," Penelope said. "Or at least it is if I don't want to diet all the time."

"If you did diet all the time you would deny yourself so many things you could enjoy, so exercise really is the best way," Dave told her gently. "I mean isn't it nice to be able to get dessert sometimes instead of denying yourself just because you don't want to gain weight?"

"Or having to eat a salad instead of meat, just so I won't gain weight," Penelope said.

"Exactly," Dave said. "If you had remained mortal you could've dieted for the rest of your life and you would've died in a 150 or 200 years, but you're Immortal now, so basically, you'll live forever barring any serious injuries or deliberate murder. No one's willpower is strong enough to deny them the things they really love forever."

"Yeah, I know, sometimes I couldn't deny myself something I really wanted," Penelope agreed. "I didn't do it too often, but occasionally, I just had to have something sweet, chocolatey and delicious."

"And now you can enjoy those things more often without fear of gaining weight, because you exercise to make sure you don't," Dave said. "It might not be very enjoyable for you, but at least you don't have to do it more than a few days a week."

"Yeah, I know I've gotten used to it," Penelope said. "I don't think the word enjoyment will ever enter into it, but it does help me maintain my weight, so I suppose it works. Thanks to that exercising I can have some of that delicious cake you baked to go with dinner tonight, instead of denying myself, especially since I know what a terrific cook you are."

"It's nice to be appreciated," Dave said smiling, as he slowly smoothed out the tension in Penelope's muscles.

"Of course, we appreciate you, you do so much for JJ, Emily and I even without being asked and if we didn't appreciate you for all you did thing we really would be ungrateful," Penelope told him. "None of us would ever let you think that were ungrateful for you chipping in with the chores or the way you take care of all of us. You know very well that a lot of men would just be lazy, laze around read the paper or watch the vid screen and do absolutely nothing else. They would think that they're the breadwinner and that's all they needed to do. All of us know how lucky we are to have someone who does so much around the house without being asked. You've done a wonderful job looking after me when I need snacks and things like that, ever since I got pregnant."

"I'm happy to do whatever, simply because I love the three of you so much," Dave told her sincerely. "Besides, the three of you more than do your part, so it's not like I'm doing all the work."

"Well, if you did all the work, you would likely come to resent us eventually, because we wouldn't be doing anything to help," Penelope said. "That's no way to maintain a relationship, which is why there are so many divorces in this country."

"A marriage is all about sharing and balance," Dave said. "This is something I learned from my own parents and also my grandparents and great-grandparents."

"Well, you certainly learned those lessons well," Penelope said smiling at him.

"Thank you," Dave said smiling.

"I think now that you have relieved all my aches and pains it's time for you to make love to me," Penelope told him.

"If that's what my lady wants I'll be happy to," Dave said smiling down at her tenderly.

"I thought you would be," Penelope said grinning at him.

"Well, making love might be a little bit more difficult these days and takes more work, because you're so big, but it's still possible," Dave told her smiling.

"Good thing, because I don't think I could go through three or four months without having sex," Penelope said.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Dave said. "For a long time when it was just Emily and I every time she was pregnant and might've been difficult to make love to her in the latter stages, but we weren't about to deny ourselves, so we had to find ways around it. Back then a lot of people believed that no woman wanted to be touched very much at all and only allowed a man into her bed in order to have children and this was especially true when she was pregnant."

"Which is a load of crap," Penelope said giggling.

"Oh, absolutely, as Emily and I discovered for ourselves," Dave said grinning widely. "We already knew it really, because our parents and grandparents didn't stop having sex with each other just because one of the women was pregnant. Our bodies don't ever age past 30, so our libido never really dies down, you know? Men had a lot of strange ideas about men and women back then, mostly priests who had never been married or even had sex before."

"Yes, things were very different that when you and Emily were originally born," Penelope said.

"Yeah, they were. Emily and I certainly didn't listen to some priest that had no idea what they were really talking about, probably because we had so many positive examples in front of us, when we were growing up," Dave said. "Nowadays, nobody cares who you have sex with or even with how many, so we don't have to be as careful as Emily and I used to have to be."

Dave started to make love to Penelope gently and tenderly from behind as this was the position that was most comfortable for her considering her condition. Now was no time for roughness with her being six months pregnant and it didn't take long at all for him to be buried in her body all the way to the hilt or for him to release his seed.

"That was wonderful," Penelope said once her climax had passed.

"Yeah, it was," Dave said smiling down at her. "Now, why don't you take a little nap, and I'll fix you a snack for when you wake."

"Sounds great," Penelope said yawning, feeling so relaxed that it would be really easy for her to just fall asleep.

Dave watched her for a few minutes, running a hand through her hair tenderly, but soon she was asleep, sliding into slumber gently. She needed it he knew due to the fact that she hadn't gotten a decent amount of sleep, thanks to being uncomfortable and the babies kicking. Hopefully, their son and daughter would allow their mother to sleep for at least a couple of hours before they became active again. They would just have to see. Dave kissed Penelope gently on her long blonde hair and she didn't even twitch, before leaving the room and closing the door gently behind him

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Well, she's lovely," JJ said smiling, as she held Penelope's daughter in her arms.

"Yes, she is," Dave said, as he held his newborn son, smiling broadly.

Penelope had gone into labor suddenly in the middle of the night, but since everyone had expected it there was no panic. Dave had driven his wife to the hospital with Emily and JJ following in a separate vehicle. Luckily, a C-section hadn't been required, but they were really going to have to consider that next time Penelope was pregnant with twins, since Immortals healed so fast as there were no guarantees that one wouldn't be required next time or the next. For now though, everything was okay and they had two beautiful children to enjoy.

"So Rachel and Philip welcome to the family," Dave said beaming at his son whom he was holding and then over to his daughter who was in the arms of JJ.

"Yes, welcome to the family little ones," Emily said, as she longed to hold one of them, since it had been a long time since she given birth to her daughter.

"Here," JJ said passing over Rachel to Emily.

"Thanks," Emily said smiling, as she gently took the tiny bundle wrapped in a pink blanket.

"Everybody should have a chance to hold these lovely children," Dave said smiling.

"Everybody has held them except their mother," JJ said.

"Penelope is still sleeping, though she should be awake shortly," Dave said, as he cradled his son in his arms. "The labor was long as you know, but luckily, she didn't have to have a C-section."

"Something we need to consider for next time," Emily said quietly.

"Yeah, you're right," Dave agreed. "She might not get pregnant with twins next time, but if she does then we need to have..."

Dave stopped but JJ and Emily got the message. They needed to have a doctor who was Immortal next time just in case Penelope did have to have a C-section instead of giving birth naturally like she had been able to do this time.

"Luckily, that wasn't necessary this time," Dave said. "It was something we all should've thought of, but we didn't because this is the first time we've ever had twins. Next time, we'll be better prepared."

"I'll go see if Penelope awake and if she's not perhaps, you two can go home and get some sleep," Dave added.

"We'll stay until she is," Emily told him firmly.

"We can catch up on our sleep later," JJ added. "These two beauties aren't going to be able to leave the hospital anyway, even though Penny didn't go into labor for just over eight months."

"They just need to be checked out to make sure there're no problems," Dave said calmly.

"We know the routine by now," Emily told Dave who simply smiled looking adoringly at his son.

"I think Dave is smitten with his children," JJ told Emily grinning.

"It's not really all that unusual," Emily replied also smiling. "Dave loves children, you know that, so of course, he's happy to be having some more, as it's been over two decades since the last two and the fact that these are the first with his final mate only adds to his emotions."

Dave said nothing, not even seeming to hear the conversation, as he held his son tenderly cradled in his arms, but finally he handed his son to JJ and headed to see if his wife was awake.

JJ and Emily watched him go smiling.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"It's nice to be home," Penelope sighed, as she walked in the door.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, staying at the hospital is no fun," JJ agreed.

"Even if it's only for couple of days," Emily added.

"Well, at least our son and daughter could come home with us, as they're in good health, according to the doctor," Dave said smiling, carrying in one of the car seats that held his daughter while Emily had the other one, with his and Penelope's son.

"Which is good," Penelope said smiling. "I'm certainly glad they're here, as carrying all that extra weight around isn't for sissies. I feel so much lighter now that they've finally been born."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Emily said remembering. "I always feel like a whale whenever I'm pregnant, especially in the last trimester and I was only carrying one every time while you carried two."

"Which will likely happen again at some point," JJ said, as she held open the door for everybody to get inside.

"Yes, it likely will," Dave agreed, as he entered the entryway to their building. "You were never a whale Emily," Dave added. "I know you felt like that, but I never thought of you as one, because I knew that you were carrying our child and you hadn't gotten like that from just overeating, although I wouldn't care if you did gain a few pounds."

"Ah! That's so sweet," JJ cooed, smiling.

"True though," Dave said. "True love is about loving someone no matter what, like if a woman starts gaining weight for example and if it's really love a man shouldn't love her any less for it, although I'm well aware that happens far too often."

"Yes, most men put a great emphasis on physical appearance," Penelope said knowing this from experience.

"And the ones that don't are few and far between," JJ said. "Well, we should get these little ones into their cribs, so they can sleep more comfortably."

"Yeah, we should," Penelope agreed. "They'll be awake soon enough demanding to be fed and then changed, so we might as well take advantage of the peace and quiet while we can."

"It'll be tough for the first few weeks anyway," Dave said. "I remember what it was like until whatever children we had started sleeping through the night and this time we have two, but it will be worth it."

"Yes, it will be," Penelope smiled kissing Dave's cheek.

"Look at this way you don't have to do it all by yourselves, as you have Emily and I to help," JJ smiled. "We can do a lot of things that would normally be left up to the wife and that will make it easier."

"Yes, believe me, I'm grateful for all you and Emily can do. I'm sure I'll get at least double the amount of sleep I normally would until the twins are at least a few months old," said Penelope.

"Hopefully, if we're lucky, they'll be sleeping through the night by the time they are three months old," Dave said. "I know sleeping all night varies according to the baby, but I'm just hoping we are lucky."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Emily agreed. "We've had children over the years that didn't sleep through the night until they were 9 or 10 months old and others that did by the time they were three or four months."

"Well, let's hope we're not that unlucky, especially since there are two of them," Penelope said. "Let's not talk about it anymore, because we might jinx it."

All of them trooped into the room that had been set up as a nursery, the room that was right by the master.

Dave and Emily carefully put down the car seats that held the babies on the diaper changing table and then lifted them out without disturbing their slumber.

"Well, they are certainly out like little lights," JJ said smiling, as she gazed down on Dave's and Penelope's children lovingly.

"Let's hope that continues," Penelope said. "I don't expect it to, but I can hope."

"Well, let's get out here before we wake them up," Dave said quietly. "The baby monitor is on, so we should hear them when they begin to wake."

Everybody trooped out of the room and Penelope closed the door gently behind her, so that it barely made a clicking sound as it latched.

"Let's go do something that doesn't require moving around a lot," Emily suggested. "I know Penny at least is probably still tired, even though she's probably been sleeping a lot over the last couple of days."

"We can play a game, maybe watch a movie," JJ suggested.

"Yes, that sounds good, something that won't require me to think too much," Penelope said.

"Well then, that's what we'll do," Dave said, smiling. "Really, Penelope's been under a lot of stress over the last three months at least, so it will be good for all of us to relax at least until the babies wake."

Everybody agreed quietly with the plan and they all trooped downstairs to put it into action, making sure to take one of the baby monitors with them.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

Six years later

Penelope knew she was pregnant without even needing a pregnancy test, because she had been throwing up for several days, mostly in the afternoons and sometimes in the morning as well. She was very well aware that she couldn't get ill with any kind of serious disease anymore, much less something less serious so pregnancy was the only answer.

"You okay sweetie?" Dave asked, as he knocked on the bathroom door.

"I'm fine," Penelope called through the closed door and then came out of the bathroom to kiss Dave soundly on the lips.

"What was that for?" Dave asked looking kind of dazed, as the kiss had been possessive, tender, loving and passionate all at the same time. "Tell me what I did earn it, so I can repeat it."

"Well, since you can only get me pregnant every 5 years you're just going to have to wait that long anyway to get another," Penelope told him grinning.

"Pregnant?" Dave asked, the word temporarily derailing his ability to think, but then joy spread over his face.

"Well, I don't see any other reason I've been throwing up a lung," Penelope told him smiling. "I know very well I can't be sick, so pregnancy is the only answer.

"You're pregnant! You're pregnant!" Dave nearly shouted joyfully.

"Well, I'm glad you're happy with the news," Penelope giggled.

"Of course I am, you know that we've all been expecting you get pregnant for awhile now," Dave said. "We'll have to have it confirmed of course, but it looks like Ilithyia has blessed us again."

"I have no doubt that I am," Penelope told him, as she put her arms around his neck and pulled him close for a searing kiss.

"No, I don't doubt it either. I'll get an appointment, with the Immortal doctor that we found," said Dave.

"Yeah, she's a much better choice then the one you went to before, just in case you need a C-section," Penelope said. "We are certainly lucky, that some Immortals went into such a profession."

"Yeah, we are," Dave agreed, "but us Immortals, have to earn money someway you know just like normal people do and we'll also just like mortals and might not be very good at investing. Doctors make a bundle, no matter what field they go into, though surgeons make far more. With today's technology it's really not very hard to change your appearance enough to look old. You know a lot of the younger set change their eye or hair color as a matter of course, just because they don't like to be normal."

"Yeah, it is pretty easy to change your appearance nowadays and you can also have a doctor sculpt your wrinkles away to look young and if anybody asks that's what Dr. DeWitt can tell people," Penelope agreed.

"As I said it's very easy to change your appearance nowadays and a doctor can certainly afford the best sculptor available," Dave said.

"Which is why they can stay in business for over 100 years and still look just as young as when they first started it, even if they have to change locations, every few decades," Penelope giggled.

"Yes, and all they do is move shop and change their identity," Dave said. "Still, I'm glad we found her and you offering to do a new background for her and her mate when they wanted to change identities won her over and had her reducing her price for her services."

"Well, I know how hard it is to move in society today when you don't age, considering the advances in technology," Penelope said. "Yes, false IDs help, still you could be found out, even if it's only a slim chance and even if you're not you're records still exist, which is a security risk. Still, I can't do it for every Immortal in the world, so we don't really brag about my skills, because they'd be lining up outside our door. Yes, I'm aware that centuries ago before technology exploded it was much easier for an Immortal to get around without revealing that they weren't mortal, but that's no longer true."

"Unfortunately, you are correct," Dave said. "Ever since the late 20th century really. The Internet was invented in the 1980s and it's only been improved on since then. With the invention of the Internet, it started to become harder and harder for Immortals to live in such a technological society without revealing by accident what they were. I admit though that so long as our kind lives quietly most people never realize that we aren't exactly mortal. We try not to make people curious about us, because when people get suspicious they do some investigating a lot of times and while they might not find anything, they also might."

"Really, it helps that there are so many people in most places. Our behavior isn't out of place in places with millions of people, places like Philadelphia or San Diego, just like it isn't out of place here in New York."

"Yeah, people mostly mind their own business, though there is such people known as busybodies," Dave said. "People who don't know how to mind their own business, but luckily, they are few and far between as we try our best not to attract attention. Thanks to the fact that you can redo our history, if they happen to have someone do a background check on us or hack into the appropriate systems themselves they won't find anything suspicious."

"It's nice to be appreciated," Penelope smiled.

"I would be an idiot not to appreciate your hard won skills and put them to good use, since it does make it easier for the four of us to move around. Thanks to your ability to hack without getting caught the four of us won't have to be so careful, although it's still best to keep a low profile. Still, your talent will come in very useful," Dave said. "Perhaps you can even teach your skills to some of our children when they get older. They can make a ton of money just like you're doing by changing the background for other Immortals. Who knows it might even turn into a bit of a family business in a few decades of course."

"Well, we'll see, but there's no point to worrying about it now as that's years in the future anyway as right now they're not even six years old," said Penelope. "Now, why don't we go tell Emily and JJ that there is about to be another addition to our family."

"Well, they won't be surprised, because they knew our plans," Dave said smiling, "but they'll certainly be happy."

"Yes, they will be," Penelope agreed kissing Dave passionately again. "You know Dr. DeWitt was astonished when we told her that Ilithyia had blessed us with children every 5 years."

"Yeah, she was, but she was also very envious," Dave said remembering their first meeting with Dr. Graciela DeWitt.

"Well, she's mated to as you know, but then most Immortals who have several centuries under their belt are, so of course, she would like to have a child every 5 years. At the least she would like to have several children in a row, even if they're 5 years apart before using a contraceptive," Penelope said. "I would envy anyone their ability to have children so close together, especially for a race that doesn't have them, but once every 70 or 75 years. We've been incredibly blessed and we know who's responsible, even if we're not exactly sure what we've done to deserve having children so close together or me having twins."

"You do have a point," Dave conceded. "Well, let's go tell Jennifer and Emily that you are expecting again and then you can call your brothers and your sister-in-law and tell them."

"They'll be very happy for us and probably won't expect us to have anymore after this since I'm now 41 years old," Penelope said.

"And by the time they're born you'll be near 42," Dave said. "If we do have more in five or six years you'll be near 50 by the time they're born."

"50, really isn't so old nowadays, not even when it comes to childbirth," Penelope said. "Women are having children at that age all the time now and come out of it just fine."

"So we're still going to have more after this," Dave said grinning at the thought.

"Absolutely, but after the third time I'm not going to have anymore for awhile, because I think four, possibly six children will be plenty," Penelope said.

"Yes, I suppose it could be twins again, although that hadn't occurred to me," Dave said. "It would be rather unusual to have two sets of twins in a row, especially for Immortals. On the other hand, the only way to have twins for an Immortal is if Ilithyia has blessed them, so it's very possible that we will have twins again or it could only be one."

"Well, we'll soon find out, because I'm contacting Dr. DeWitt, just as soon as we inform all the relative parties," Penelope said. "I'm hoping she'll make a house call just so we can avoid going into the doctor's office. I'd rather avoid doing that actually, as I never have liked going to the doctor no matter what the reason."

"Can't blame you there," Dave grinned. "I've always been grateful that Immortals can't get sick, so we can avoid going to the doctor as a general rule. In fact, I know I would have hated going to the doctor, especially back when Emily and I were originally born you know, because it was so primitive compared to today. There're so many diseases that can be cured nowadays that they didn't even know of back then."

"I bet you were glad you were Immortal and never got sick," Penelope grinned.

"Oh, absolutely," Dave agreed chuckling. "So let's go tell Jennifer and Emily that you're pregnant again, but I would wait to inform your family until after you see Dr. DeWitt."

"Why?" asked Penelope puzzled. "I mean we know I'm pregnant there's no other explanation."

"Because it might be twins again, although you might not be far enough along for her to be able to tell, but if you are at least eight weeks and Dr. DeWitt should be able to and that way you can tell your family whether or not you're only carrying one or twins again," Dave explained.

"Well, yes, I guess that makes good logical sense and was something I hadn't thought of," Penelope agreed now understanding the reason Dave wanted her to wait to inform her family.

The two kissed tenderly again before they went to find Emily and JJ and also their son and daughter to inform them that Penelope was pregnant again.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	13. Chapter 13

Part 13

"Twins again," Emily said shaking head in amazement and no little envy. "You two really are blessed."

"That's been obvious for some time, all of us are," JJ told Emily smiling. "I mean we've had far more children then most Immortals have unless they're ancient. Sure, we've taken rest periods where we use contraceptives so we can't have anymore right then, but still, we've had far more in our time together then is usually normal for our kind. You'd only had seven children in 600 years and were pregnant with your eighth before you met me, but now we've had over 20 between us."

"And could have had more if that was what we wanted," Dave added. "Before now though, we've never had more than two to four at a time, but soon we're going have four and then five or six a few years in the future."

"So you definitely decided to get pregnant again one more a few years down the road," Emily grinned.

"Well, considering I'm having twins twice in a row, it's very possible I'll have them again," said Penelope.

"Yeah, it is," Dave agreed grinning at the thought.

"So what are you hoping for this time?" JJ asked. "I mean we have a very intelligent and healthy son and daughter already, so that means we have one of each."

"Well, personally, I wouldn't mind having the same again," Dave said voicing his opinion, "as that way we have an even number of boys and girls. However, it doesn't really matter if we get two girls or two boys, as we'll love whatever sex they are."

"Yes, that's true," Emily said.

"Well, you have a 50% chance of getting your wish Dave since boy/girl twins are the most common," Penelope told everyone.

"Yes, we know," JJ told Penelope. "Dr. DeWitt should be able to tell the sexes in a few weeks."

"Something that my family will be as anxious to know just as we are," Penelope said smiling.

"Well, they love their niece and nephew, so it's not surprising that they would be eagerly anticipating finding out the sexes of these two," Dave told Penelope who nodded.

"Yes, I know they do," Penelope agreed. "They sure do spoil them rotten whenever we visit."

"But then so do we," JJ grinned.

"Yeah, it's hard not to spoil them too much, as we want them to grow up and be responsible and not turn into spoiled rotten brats," Emily said.

"I think we're going a very good job so far," Penelope said. "They certainly are far more privileged than a lot of children, but they also aren't spoiled too much, like so many kids that come from rich families are. We don't just leave them with a nanny and expect them to raise them. In fact, we don't even have one. We spend plenty of time with them and make sure they feel secure and that they are loved, even if they are still slightly spoiled."

"Yes, I think we're doing a good job of balancing spoiling them too much and in teaching them responsibility," Dave said. "Something we ought to have down to a fine art, considering how many children we've raised, well, all except for Penelope. I think that we ought to go out to dinner tonight to celebrate Penelope's pregnancy."

"So take the children or find us a babysitter?" JJ asked.

"Find us a babysitter," Emily said. "Whoever we hire shouldn't be snooping into our bedrooms anyway so long as we have the doors closed and we can also set up two rooms to look like they belong to JJ and I, as that's easy enough to fool someone giving the rooms a casual look by opening the door."

"I have to agree with, Emily," Penelope said. "We haven't all been out together in ages, because of the children, not unless they come along anyway. They're old enough now, that they can behave for two or three hours with a babysitter who I will be doing a background check on just to be on the safe side."

"Also we'll tell them not to mention my relationship with Emily and JJ and promise they'll be rewarded for doing so and that should be enough for them not to say anything as they're pretty responsible," Dave said.

"Yes, they know to keep our relationship quiet, but the promise of a reward later will only reinforce that lesson," JJ said.

"Well then, I think we've reached our decision," Dave said smiling. "I am now anticipating taking all of you out to dinner in a few hours. Make sure you dress up as I'm going to try to get a reservation at somewhere really nice, although I don't know how successful I'll be at this late date. Still, I should be able to get us in somewhere that's nicer then casual dining."

"Well, we're really looking forward to the evening now," Penelope said smiling widely kissing Dave on the cheek.

"I think this break with all of us is very much deserved and we haven't been anywhere, but casual restaurants since the twins were born," Dave said.

"They needed a lot of attention until a couple years ago," Emily mused.

"Even now they need a lot of attention, but they'll certainly be okay with whatever babysitter we hire for a few hours," Penelope said.

"Absolutely, which is why I suggested this night out to celebrate your pregnancy," Dave told Penelope. "We might love our children to death, but we do need time to ourselves, even if that means that only Penelope can act as my wife, while JJ and Emily will be my cousins. As much as I would love to take all three of you out as my mates and let our relationship be known, it's just easier this way and brings far less attention to us."

"We know," Emily said.

"And sometimes we reverse rolls whenever we move someplace new, so we all get a chance to act as your wife and the other two as your cousins," JJ added.

"We probably won't use the cousin bit again, because I want to be able to get all three of you pregnant, within months or at least a year of each other," Dave said. "We only did that this time because of Penelope's family, so that we can all keep good relations with them. Still, we might use it again at some point, you never know after all."

"But you doubt it," Penelope said smiling.

"Well, after your brothers die, we'll simply move somewhere else and there will be no need to maintain the illusion that Emily, JJ and I aren't in a sexual relationship. Anybody who disapproves won't matter because we won't be breaking any laws. Yes, technically, I'm married to all three of you, but since all three marriages are centuries apart from each other it will never be discovered," Dave said. "I doubt the records for the marriage between Emily and I in particular even exist anymore, as the marriage certificate that was filed at the church we were married in has probably turned to dust by now and that's only if the church still exists."

"So all we have to do is take turns playing the wife, just like JJ and I did for years before Penelope came into the picture," Emily said.

"Exactly," Dave agreed smiling, "and the other two will simply be my concubines, but since that's a very old-fashioned term that isn't used much anymore at least in America you'll just my other female partners that has whoever's playing my wife full approval."

"Unfortunately, you won't be able to keep in contact with your family, after your brothers die," Emily said.

"I know," Penelope sighed. "We should move after fifty years and just gradually lose contact. Maybe we could be traveling or something."

"We'll work something out," Dave said, "but I believe it can wait a few decades anyway. Now, I'm going to go make that call, while you three go make yourselves even more beautiful then you already are."

None of the three ladies blushed, as Dave complimented them as it was quite normal for him to do so, not that they didn't appreciate when he did compliment any of them because they did, it was just that they had all stopped blushing sometime ago.

The three ladies headed to the bedroom while Dave looked up five star restaurants they could go to.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"This was a really good idea," Penelope told Dave.

"Yeah, we needed this night out with just the three of us," Emily agreed, as she ate her dinner, observing the other diners.

"I knew that, which was one of the reasons I suggested it," Dave said enjoying his pasta. "We love our kids, but still, we need to take occasional nights away from them in order to recharge."

"And we have, just not altogether," JJ said. "You've done a good job of taking one of us out to dinner at least once a week and then switching to one of the other the next, but yes, it has been awhile since all four of us have been out together without the children."

"Something that's going to change," Dave said firmly. "We can't put our lives on hold, just because we have kids. We took breaks before when we had children, before Penelope joined us and all of us forgot that."

"Yeah, we did," Emily said, as she ate her steak. "We hired a babysitter for a few hours so we could have some time to ourselves."

"It was hard though finding someone who didn't overtly disapprove of our relationship," JJ said, as she remembered. "I was almost afraid that whoever we hired would harm the children, just because they didn't approve of their manner of conception as there are a lot of wackos in the world. Some people might consider our children abominations, just because of our unique relationship."

"You really think someone would harm the children, just because you were involved with three different women?" Penelope asked Dave.

"It isn't very likely," Dave admitted. "It's possible of course, but we would hunt them down and dispose of them if they dared and Ilithyia wouldn't take our Immortality for that, because you don't harm a child and anyone mortal or Immortal would have to pay for doing so. Still, we have you, Penelope, to run background checks, but since background checks don't show everything, we would still likely have to interview several applicants."

"That's a horrifying thought," Penelope said. "It almost makes me afraid to ever leave children alone."

"We can't take our kids everywhere no matter how much we might want to. Unfortunately, there is a downside to knowing that some people will do anything including harming a child for whatever reason. A lot of people are aware that not everybody is a good person, but very few know the depths that mortals and Immortals alike can sink to," Dave said. "There would be far less wars for example if there weren't so many evil villains in the world or at least plain bad people. Still, atrocities large and small are committed every day somewhere, which is why we are always so careful whenever we need a babysitter. We do need time alone with just the four of us as well as individually after all. That kind of thing could happen to anyone, not just someone like us with our unusual relationship. Someone could try to kidnap our kids just as an example and expect us to pay a huge ransom. Now, while I would pay the ransom, there is no guarantee we'd get the kids back."

"Which means we would hunt that person or persons down and turn them over to the police at least," Emily said.

"Well, it all depends on the situation at the time," Dave said. "It's not like Ilithyia expects us not to fight back when our lives are threatened and of course, that includes any kids we have at the time."

"Yes, that's true," Emily said. "If any of our kids lives are threatened by being kidnapped or whatever we're not expected to just let it go."

"This is why it is so good to have you, as part of the family," Dave told Penelope. "You can do a background check on anybody that gets close to our family to be on the safe side. We didn't have that before and we had to do interviews and make judgment calls, but you can never truly know anyone just from meeting them one time."

"Nothing's likely to happen this time, because this is the first time we've made it seem like only one of us is involved in a relationship. By setting up two rooms that look like JJ's and mine, nobody will know that we are involved, since we are pretending that only Penny is involved with Dave sexually, because of her family," Emily said.

"Also, so far we have all agreed on the people we've hired, and they all turned out to be good people, but you still don't know what someone is hiding," JJ said.

"Still, we're all pretty good at reading people and the three of you at least have had plenty of practice," Penelope said.

"Yeah, we are and we depend on our instincts heavily and normally, we're always right," Dave agreed. "Still, doing a background check now that an expert on doing so, has joined us doesn't hurt, just to make sure."

"We might as well put your talents to use," Emily told Penelope smiling.

"Yeah, we might as well," Penelope agreed also smiling. "I wouldn't want to get out of practice, after all."

"Now, enough, about that this is supposed to be a romantic dinner. A night out away from the children," Dave said smiling changing the subject. "Let's talk about something more pleasant like the upcoming birth of two more babies."

"That's certainly a more pleasant subject," Penelope agreed relaxing, which had been Dave's intent in the first place, as he wanted to reduce Penelope's stress as much as possible, so it wouldn't be so hard on her with her pregnant.

The four of them chatted about various subjects while they finished their dinners all four of them relaxing like they hadn't had a chance to do in a long time.

This was exactly what they had needed, Dave thought, as he joined in the conversation. A few hours with no children to worry about.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Oh Dave, you didn't have to," Penelope protested, as she saw all the beautiful flowers that decorated their home. They were absolutely everywhere, on every surface and all different kinds.

"I wanted to do something special for all three of you," Dave said. "You all love flowers, so I bought out a flower shop. This is as much a gift for you, because you're pregnant with twins again, as it is for Jennifer and Emily. To me this is a very special occasion and I wanted to do something really special."

"Well, you succeeded," Emily said smiling, as she looked around at all the beautiful flowers that were all in bloom.

"Yes, you did," JJ said coming forward and kissing Dave tenderly, before Emily and Penelope followed suit.

"They're just lovely," Penelope said enthusiastically, as she walked over and smelled some of the flowers.

"Yes, they really are," JJ said, knowing that it must have cost Dave several thousand dollars at least. She also knew that the money didn't really matter to Dave at all, as what was the point of having it if it couldn't be used for enjoying yourself or for making others happy? That fact had finally been pounded into her skull, that there was no point of having money and it wasn't used for more than basic necessaries food, clothes or entertainment as it just sat in the bank gathering interest. They had plenty of money so there was no problem with being extravagant once in awhile.

Also they hadn't given away the baby equipment this time, as they had known they were going to have more and while they did need to buy some things there was a lot they wouldn't need to buy this time, therefore saving a bundle. All the baby equipment that they had got last time was top-of-the-line, which is why it was so is expensive. It was simply built to last.

"This was really thoughtful of you," Penelope told Dave.

"That's me, I'm a thoughtful guy," Dave said, smiling.

"You definitely are," JJ grinned at him.

"Sweet, tender, loving, romantic," Emily added

"Stop! You're going to give me a big head," Dave said smiling.

"While you can have a big head, mostly you're just as sweet, romantic guy who we love," Emily said.

"Gee thanks," Dave told Emily sarcastically shaking his head.

"You're welcome," Emily told him grinning causing Dave to smile again.

"You ladies make sure I don't keep a big head, as Emily doesn't put up with it for very long if I happen to get one," Dave said.

"That's our job," Penelope told him kissing his cheek this time.

"Yes, it is a wife's responsibility to make sure her husband isn't full of himself," JJ said smiling at the byplay.

"I suppose it is and you do a very good job of it," Dave laughed.

"All these flowers were really thoughtful of you, so I agree with Penny on that," JJ told him smiling. "It kind of reminds me of when you filled our hotel room with flowers, back when we had been parted for a week due to circumstances."

"Yes, I remember all those flowers just sitting there, on every surface of our hotel suite back then," Emily said smiling.

"He's done it multiple times since then, for both Emily and I," JJ added.

"Not too often, but every once in awhile he surprises us," Emily said.

"Usually only on really special occasions," JJ said.

"Well, I don't want to be too predictable to you ladies," Dave said smiling.

"Well, considering we know each other so well it's kind of hard not to be predictable a lot of times," Emily said.

"But you do sometimes manage to totally surprise us," JJ said smiling.

"Which is good as it keeps a relationship fresh," Dave said. "I know we'll never break up, as that's not possible, but still, we do try to be spontaneous every once in awhile."

"Yeah, he really surprised us with a trip to Venice a few years before you joined us," Emily told Penelope smiling.

"Something I plan to do it again at some point," Dave said smiling, as he remembered the trip to what was still one of the most romantic cities in the world even in this century.

"Sounds wonderful," Penelope said. "I've always wanted to travel and I have taken a few trips on my own, but it's always more fun with company."

"Well, that's something we'll have to do sometime," Dave said. "We have traveled some mostly in the winter, which was your suggestion Penelope."

"A good one too," JJ said smiling.

"Yes, it was nice going somewhere tropical for most of the winter at least," Emily said.

"Something we don't do every year, as it would get boring if we did, but every few years it's really nice," JJ said.

"Well, it's not something we're going to be able to do this year with Penelope pregnant, but maybe in a couple of years once the new babies have a chance to grow up a little, it might be possible," said Dave.

"We can have our parents look after our children while we go on vacation," Emily told Dave smiling. "You know they'd love a chance to spend some time with their grandchildren."

"Yeah, they would," Dave agreed. "We can't stop taking little trips or doing our own thing just because we have children no matter how much we love them. We'll miss them certainly, but we also need time to ourselves to work on our relationship, time to relax and not worry about our children."

"Yes, we will miss them, but you're right," Penelope said agreeing with Dave. "People still take trips when they have children, even if the children usually come along."

"Not always," JJ told Penelope. "It depends if the family has someone they trust to look after the children while they are gone. I'm not talking about a nanny or a babysitter, but someone in their family or a close family friend."

"Some people leave their children with only their nanny or to use the fancy term au pair, even if they're going to be gone for months," Dave said.

"Well, if you trust your au pair or nanny or whatever then that's their choice," JJ said. "Some caregivers can be just as close as real family."

"We can discuss this more later," Dave said smiling. "Right now, I have gifts for you."

"Oh?" Emily asked smiling, as she was the one that knew him best and she had already figured that Dave had bought some gift for each of them, as that was his usual pattern.

"Yep," Dave said smiling. "I did so while the three of you were shopping for all those baby essentials the other day."

"Well, at least we didn't have to buy so much this time," JJ said. "No need for new changing tables, dressers, cribs, etc..."

They had learned at a recent doctor's appointment that Penelope was carrying two boys this time instead of the boy/girl that Dave had wished for. That didn't mean Dave wasn't ecstatic at the upcoming births of two sons, just that he had wanted another little girl to love and spoil.

Now while Dave had been naturally disappointed not to be getting another daughter, he had been philosophical about it and knew there was always next time.

"Most of the clothes are also reusable," Emily added, "So that's saved us a few hundred dollars at least, probably more."

"Money doesn't matter, still, I have nothing against saving it either," Dave said. "There is no point to buying new clothes when the others aren't out of style and they're perfectly reusable. I think we help the economy enough that not buying new clothes for the upcoming additions to our family is it going to make it go into a downturn."

"Definitely not, the baby industry is a multibillion dollar one," JJ giggled.

"They're all these things that were created specifically for babies and toddlers," Penelope said. "Toys, clothes, furniture and anything else you can name, so there in no danger of having a serious downturn in business, since women will always have babies and that's not ever going to change."

"So I think they'll survive without our business," Dave said smiling. "They've certainly made plenty off us in that area over the centuries."

"Yeah, the baby industry certainly has, since we always give away all our baby equipment to some deserving family if we aren't going to have anymore right then," JJ said.

"Which we won't be doing for awhile this time since Penelope has already promised to get pregnant one more time after this," Dave said grinning at the thought.

"So I did," Penelope agreed easily. "Considering I'm having twins this time it's very likely I'll have twin next time to. While having twins three times back to back has happened before it's a very unusual event to have twins with not even one singleton in between. Of course, there are things you can do to bump up your chances of having twins like fertility treatments for example, but I can't see somebody doing it three times in a row."

"Well, it is possible and that's what we'll tell people that we would just lucky if they ask," Dave shrugged. "Now about those presents I got for all three of you I have them in the bedroom."

All four of them went to the bedroom where Dave got the presents he had bought for his three mates out of the spot where he had hidden them.

"Nice hiding spot," JJ complimented him, as she watched Dave get his presents off the top shelf of the closet.

"Well, I had to put them somewhere where you weren't likely to go, as I didn't want you to find them until I was ready to give them to you. Now, I'll just have to find a new hiding spot since you've seen this one," Dave said. Dave presented his three ladies with jewelry boxes, oblong ones that either contained necklaces or bracelets.

All three ladies opened their boxes and oohed and ahhed over the beautiful bracelets that were inside.

"These are beautiful," Penelope said.

"They have your birthstones," Dave said smiling. "Ruby for Penelope whose birthday's in July, opal for Jennifer, because her birthday's in June and for Emily aquamarine as her birthdays in March."

"This was really thoughtful," Emily told Dave's smiling. "You've given us some really nice jewelry over the years, but these are really spectacular."

"I thought you all deserve something special and not just because Penelope is pregnant again," Dave said smiling, knowing he would be rewarded for his generosity later and was looking forward to it.

"These are really subtle and discreet," JJ said smiling.

"That was the main point," Dave told everyone. "Bracelets are less likely to be noticed unless somebody's looking directly at your wrist and it could be covered up by the sleeve of your shirt or jacket. Mostly nobody's going to realize that those are real gemstones and not just costume jewelry."

"So gorgeous, subtle and discreet is what you were aiming for," Penelope said smiling her gorgeous smile at her mate.

"Yes, even though I know the three of you can take care of yourselves, there is no point of actually wearing something that's obviously very valuable for some mugger or robber to see and try to steal," Dave said. "You wear jewelry on a regular basis and although it's quite valuable nobody would know that unless you tell them."

"Well, nobody except maybe a jeweler," Penelope suggested.

"On an amateur gemologist," Emily added. "Still, you're right, most people wouldn't recognize the real thing, so thank you it's gorgeous."

"You're all quite welcome," Dave said smiling.

"Well, I believe you deserve a reward for your generosity," Emily suggested and Penelope and JJ nodded enthusiastically.

"I'm happy to oblige any ideas in that area," Dave said in anticipation.

"Well, it looks like Dave already has a good idea of what he's about to receive," Penelope said, as she boldly shed her clothes right there in the living area.

"The children, we don't want them to see," JJ protested.

"The nanny droid is looking after them," Emily told JJ. "I have to admit droids do come in useful when you want to be alone and they also don't have opinions."

"They also can't approve or disapprove of our rather unusual relationship," Penelope agreed.

"I have to agree in this case, even if I don't normally like droids," Dave said. "They've improved them a lot over the last two or three hundred years or so. Thanks to the droid we don't have to worry about finding a nanny or an au pair that wouldn't mind our rather unusual relationship."

"So we're free to make love right here in the living room and don't have to worry about the children seeing us as Annalise will keep them busy," Emily told JJ.

Annalise was the droid, who looked incredibly humanoid unless you know what to look for. It was one of the newest models on the market and was hard to tell from a real live human, unless you were extremely familiar with droids.

"Alright then," JJ said giving in now that she knew that the twins were occupied.

JJ took off her clothes without further comment, as the other two ladies were already naked as was Dave.

"Well, let's do this over by the fireplace since there's a nice thick rug," Penelope suggested smiling, as she remembered her own time with just Dave and her in front of that very fireplace really not all that long ago, as it was just a 11 years ago. 11, almost 12 years really wasn't so long, especially when you had been incredibly happy for all that time.

Dave lay down in front of the fireplace, on the thick rug, that was now a royal blue instead of the beige that had been there almost 12 years ago. In fact, the whole building except for the entryway and the kitchen was carpeted, so that was no chance of feet being cold in the winter or of children falling and skinning their knees, as the carpet was nice, thick and soft.

It was obvious that Dave was very eager for his reward as his cock was already erect and filled with his seed, standing tall and proud. JJ, Emily and Penelope were more than happy to start making love to him right away, as they were also very eager, for their love and lust for this one man was never sated.

It was quite a few hours later that all four of them fell asleep with the various parts of their naked bodies touching each other to where they were really just a big pile of bodies that had obviously just spent hours enjoying themselves.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~


	14. Chapter 14

Part 14

Epilogue

361 years later

"Having fun?" Dave inquired of his three ladies smiling.

"You know we are," Penelope told him, smiling as well.

"Having our own heated pool as part of our hotel room suite is really a treat," Emily told Dave smiling.

"Yeah, this trip to Germany was just what we needed," JJ added, who had finished doing laps.

Both JJ and Emily swam like fish, but then they had a lot of practice, as it was their favorite form of exercise. Penelope liked to swim too, but she preferred using the exercise machines, even though she hadn't used to. The three of them could have their body worked on by a body sculptor, so that they looked in shape, even when they weren't. However, all of them preferred exercise to having some stranger work on their body and they would feel this way even if it was possible, because injuries healed so fast. Yes, technically, it wouldn't be an injury if they got their any fat cut away instead of maintaining their bodies through exercise, but the concept was still the same, so sculpting to give them the perfect body wouldn't work on them, because of the way they healed so speedily.

"I thought we could all use a break," Dave said. "A break from everyday life, a break from our four children. A vacation was what we needed I figured, so we could just relax and have fun and not worry about our kids."

Of the four children Dave was referring to one was JJ's, one was Emily's and the last two were twins and were Penelope's. The amazing thing was that Penelope had had twins every single time she got pregnant with no singletons at all and that was absolutely astonishing. Of course, all four of them knew that it was Ilithyia that had blessed them so much, so though they needed an occasional break just the four of them they still adored their kids. All of them had believed that their kids were too young to enjoy Germany, which had many historic and educational sites, but perhaps, when they got older they could come back with their kids.

Their two sons and two daughters were only five, six and seven, born within less than a year of each other, so that only one of the women was pregnant at a time, as one hormonal woman was enough to deal with for Dave and he didn't need two or even three, although he'd had at least two pregnant women to deal with at the same time in the past. JJ, Emily and Penelope getting pregnant within six months of one of them giving birth was a very common occurrence and a pattern that they felt fit them.

"This was a great idea," Emily told Dave smiling and Dave couldn't help staring at Emily's naked breasts, which were dripping water back into the pool.

"Yeah, it was," Penelope agreed, her blonde hair considerably darker due to the water that was soaking it.

"I'm not missing the kids as much as I thought I would," JJ admitted.

"I knew you wouldn't once you had a few days away with just us," Dave told her. "We've taken breaks like this before when we've had kids and you never miss him as much as you believe you will. Spending a month or two somewhere like Germany or Italy or France is not going to do the children any harm. They're being looked after by their grandparents who will make sure they get to school, behave themselves, are fed and do their homework. I doubt very much that Jer, Mary, Roberta or Teddy will even miss us as they're having a blast with their grandparents who will spoil them more than we do."

Jer was short for Jeremy, Mary was short for Marilee and Teddy was short for Theodore. Teddy and Roberta were twins while Jeremy and Marilee were not.

"Yes, we adore our kids and I know most people don't take breaks, because they either don't have anyone they trust to look after them or they can't afford to go anywhere, but we certainly can. Also unlike a lot of the idle rich we don't leave raising our children to a nanny droid or even a real live human au pair. We do use a nanny droid occasionally when we want a few hours alone, so long as at least one of us is in the house, but when we are all gone out of the house we always hire someone or take them with us," Emily said.

"So you're saying that going on vacation without our kids helps our relationship," JJ said.

"It certainly stops us from snapping at each other or worse our kids just because we're so stressed out," Dave said. "We only take a vacation once maybe every five or six years without our kids and I don't think that's too much to ask. We can certainly handle situations much more calmly, if we aren't all stressed. Even if there're few problems you can still get stressed out just by going though a routine every day."

"You can also get bored which also causes stress," Emily commented.

"Which is another reason that a nice long vacation every few years is needed," Dave said. "People do it all the time, those that can afford to anyway. There's nothing wrong with taking a break from your kids. We'll go home with plenty of souvenirs and gifts for all four and they'll be happy to see us having had a delightful time with their grandparents."

"Alright, maybe you're right," JJ conceded. "I always forget how much I enjoy these little jaunts away from everyday life, away from getting the kids dressed, fed and taken to school. In making sure they don't forget anything, their homework, their schoolbooks and so on, even though I have plenty of help with that task.

"You just need to be reminded to relax every once in awhile," Dave said, "and you always do once you've had a few days away. Stress might not age us or give us ulcers like it does for mortals, but that doesn't mean we don't need breaks. We always come back feeling refreshed and ready to get back into everyday life."

"Well, I think it's time for breakfast, as I've done my laps," JJ said smiling.

"Yeah, I'm starving," Penelope agreed also smiling. "I think we should have one of these put in at home."

"That's certainly a possibility," Dave agreed. "We've certainly enjoyed this one haven't we?"

"Yes, we have and we usually have a pool put in anyway wherever we're living at the time," said Penelope. "But we've never had a heated one before."

"I'll look into it when we get home," Dave promised. "We probably should've looked into it a long time ago as heated pools have been around at least since the 20th Century."

"It just never occurred to any of us," JJ said, as she sat on the edge of the pool, with her feet in the water.

"Well, it's occurred now, so I'll make sure I look into it," Dave promised again. "Now that we've all had a chance to catch up on our sleep I think we should start seeing some of the sites tomorrow."

"That's sounds like just the ticket," Penelope said.

"We can't forget to shop while we're here," Emily said grinning at Dave who just shook his head smiling. Emily was a shopaholic, but then all the ladies were and the thing was he really didn't mind it. He always enjoyed what they bought and they often bought something for him as well, so no, he didn't mind it.

"You ladies will have a chance to do that," Dave said.

"The shops won't know what hit them," Emily grinned causing Dave to chuckle softly.

All four of them exited the large pool that was part of their hotel room suite totally naked, as there was no point of wearing clothes when it was just them.

"You ladies go take showers while I order breakfast," Dave suggested. "I'll get one after you're done before the food gets here."

"Yeah, washing off all that chlorine sounds good," JJ said.

"You can go first, JJ," Penelope suggested and Emily nodded.

"I'll be done in 10 minutes," JJ promised, as she rushed to the bathroom, not bothering to take any clothes with because it wasn't like there were any strangers present.

"Well, the food should be here in half an hour," Dave said, after making his phone call.

"Which gives us just enough time to all get showers except for you," Penelope told Dave.

"I'll just get one after breakfast, so it's not a big deal," Dave said.

"You sure do have some good ideas. This vacation was exactly what we needed," Emily told Dave, as she came up to cuddle against one side both of them totally nude.

"You sure do," Penelope agreed smiling, as she cuddled in to Dave's other side.

"Well, I have two lovely ladies cuddled into me totally naked so I am indeed a very lucky man," Dave said grinning.

"Yes, most men would envy you for having three beautiful women at your beck and call," Emily told him smiling.

"As for this idea to take a vacation somewhere, well, we needed it," Dave said. "I was serious when I told JJ that these breaks from everyday life are necessary. I know a lot of people can't afford to just go away for a month or two or even just for a week every few years, away from their kids, away from their life in general to just relax and enjoy themselves. See the sites of whatever destination they chose, eat good food, just be together as a couple or in our case a quartet. I say if you can afford to go somewhere to just relax without your kids, then why don't you? Of course, I realize a lot of people have jobs and they can't afford to take a month or two of vacation every few years, but we certainly can."

"We could," Penelope said. "I mean I do some computer work for some people, just to keep myself entertained."

"Yes, but you do that from home and really you can do it from anywhere," Dave said. "Also what you do adds millions, even billions to the family coffers, but since it's something you enjoy doing I really don't mind. If either JJ or Emily found something that they really love doing whether that was a job that was 9 to 5 or something like volunteer work then I wouldn't mind at all. We all have to keep ourselves occupied someway, since we won't die in 200 years or less."

"Well, yes, all of us have been involved in volunteer work before," Emily said.

"And it is something we could happily become involved with again," Penelope added, just as JJ came back from the shower.

"You can go next," Emily told Penelope who nodded and headed to the bathroom, while JJ disappeared into the bedroom to get dressed.

"Well, it looks like it's just you and me," Emily told Dave smiling.

"So it does," Dave said smiling. "So how shall we keep ourselves occupied while Penelope's in the shower and Jennifer's getting dressed?"

"Well, how about this," Emily suggested with a mischievous twinkling in her dark brown eyes, just before she kissed him, which Dave accepted.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

Three weeks later

Emily stared at the pregnancy test in shock. How could she be pregnant? Yes, it had been six years since her daughter was born, but she was taking those pills to prevent pregnancy. She supposed it was possible that she had forgotten to take one or even more considering that she had been having so much fun. She got up and left the bathroom of their suite in Munich

"You okay?" Penelope asked seeing Emily's expression.

"I'm fine," Emily promised

"What's the matter, sweetie?" Dave asked getting up from where he was sitting and walking over to her.

"I'm pregnant," Emily told him seeing no reason to beat around the bush and Dave stared at her in astonishment.

"You are?" JJ squealed in excitement.

"Unless the pregnancy test is wrong," Emily said. "I managed to pick one up the other day after I threw up the afternoon before. I know the signs by now considering how many children I've had, so I knew I had either eaten something that disagreed with me or I was pregnant."

"This is great news," Dave said picking Emily up and spinning her around.

"So you're not upset?" Emily asked and Dave shook his head.

"You know me better than that, sweetie," Dave scolded her lightly. "It's rather unexpected, I won't deny it, but upset no. I could never be upset with having more children. I adore children you know that, even if we have always limited the number we've had at one time."

"Well, it looks like you're going to get another son or daughter sometime in the next few months," Emily said finally smiling.

"It's quite possible you forgot to take a pill or you could've gone pregnant for some other reason," JJ said. "We did drink quite a lot one night and maybe alcohol and those pills don't mix."

"But I've drank before when I'm taking those contraceptive pills," Emily protested.

"But usually not so much, as all four of us were totally wasted," Dave chuckled. "Usually you just have a glass of two of wine or a beer someplace, but you don't overdo it. Of course, that might not be the reason at all, as it's just a theory and a good one. Still, we'll have to go to the doctor to have it confirmed once we get back home."

"For all we know there might be something in the beer here in Germany that bypasses the protection those pills offer," JJ suggested. "I'm not saying that's what happened, just that it's a possibility and we did have a lot of wild sex after we got back from drinking ourselves insensible."

"Well, however, it happened I'm not unhappy with it at all," Dave told Emily, as well as JJ and Penelope.

"Well, if I am pregnant due to that night we drink ourselves silly that happened the day after we got here, which was around three weeks ago," Emily said.

"So you'll probably be around two months along by the time we get home," Dave said.

"Only, if that that's when I got pregnant," Emily reminded him.

"It doesn't matter when it happened," Dave shrugged, while grinning like an idiot.

"You know the two of us might want to buy two more pregnancy tests just to make sure that JJ and I also aren't pregnant," Penelope suggested. "We all drank a lot of beer and wine that night and if that's when it happened, then it's quite possible that all of us are now pregnant."

"Yeah, we had quite the session of wild sex that night, totally uninhibited," Dave remembered grinning. "My cock entered all of you at one point or another and normally, you take turns and get your satisfaction in other ways."

"We also all woke up with the mother of all hangovers," JJ said wincing, as she remembered.

"Which is something I intend to remember in the future, so that I don't repeat the experience anytime soon or ever," Penelope said, wincing in remembered pain. "The drinking was fun, but I could've done without the hangover afterwards."

"Definitely," Emily said, grimacing at remembered pain.

"Oh yeah," JJ added by way of agreement.

"I suppose we just got too enthusiastic about actually being on vacation that we overdid it," Dave chuckled, as he remembered.

"We definitely overdid it, something I have no intention of doing again," Penelope concurred.

"We'll buy several pregnancy tests just to make sure," Dave said. "If it turns out that all of you are pregnant then we'll deal with it. Of course, it's also very possible that Emily's the only one that is. For the record I won't be upset in the least if you, Jennifer and Penelope are pregnant as well."

"We know that, and Emily does too deep down, she just panicked that's all," JJ said.

"Alright, maybe I did," Emily admitted, finally smiling. "I wasn't expecting it that's for sure. Usually we wait for our children to grow up before we consider having more."

"Except that one time after Penelope first joined us," Dave said smiling, as he remembered. "We had six children, three sets of twins before we finally stopped."

"And we only did so because I was near 50 by the time I gave birth to my last set and while women have children in their 50s all the time we felt six was plenty."

"I know your family certainly did," Dave grinned.

"Well, the Garcias usually have two, maybe three children," Penelope said, "but certainly not six."

"So I'm a Rossi not a Garcia and our family is quite large," Dave said.

"Personally, I felt six was plenty to handle at one time, even though they were five and six years apart," JJ said.

"Which is why we usually stop with one or two apiece or in Penny's case two," Emily said.

"Yes, we do, but that's mostly to stop people from making comments about the size of our family," Dave told her. "I wouldn't mind personally, having a dozen children running around, although considering that they're five or six years apart I know that's not possible, but we should get close to that at least by the time the oldest ones are grown up."

"Still, we should be able to get close to that anyway," JJ said, "if that's what you really wanted."

"Yeah, I have twins every time, though I'm not exactly sure why I do, as it goes against statistics, but that could help us have the large family we want," Penelope said, "but I could have three sets of twins five or six years apart of course, so the oldest would be around 12 or 13 by the time my last set is born."

"And JJ and I only have one at a time, but still, we could have more than one apiece," Emily added.

"Not wait for our children to grow up or for us to move elsewhere before we have more," JJ said.

"We would have children at various ages if we did that," Dave said grinning at the thought.

"That would give us 10, if Emily and I got pregnant twice instead of once and Penelope also got pregnant, but three times," JJ said.

"We could get pregnant three times as well and that would give you 12 like you desire, but we'd have to do it all at the same time instead of just one of us being pregnant at one time before another one gets pregnant after that one has already given birth. At least we could get pregnant a few months apart so we don't give birth at the same time like we've done a few times before," Emily suggested

"Well, it's certainly something to consider," Dave said. "It would be a lot of work though to look after four babies that are basically the same age at one time. We would have absolutely no privacy for sometime."

"That's what droids are for," Emily told him.

"And also family," JJ added smiling. "You know that both sets of grandparents and great-grandparents would absolutely love to come help you out with all the children you're having."

"That's true," Dave grinned at the thought. "It's something to consider anyway. We'll have to have a family discussion before we decide to do it to make sure everyone agrees."

"I say we do it in who cares what people say," Penelope said. "We're not doing anything illegal after all, and we can certainly afford to have that many at one time."

"We can consider it, but I think we need to get our children's opinion, although perhaps our five-year-olds are a bit too young to have one," Dave said. "We will have at least one more, since Emily is pregnant, so that makes five once he or she is born."

"I'll pick up some pregnancy tests," Emily said. "The place I went to was close to the hotel, so I'll just walk there and buy two and come right back."

"We can come with you," JJ suggested.

"That's okay, I shouldn't be gone more than a half an hour, as I've been there before, remember?" Emily said.

"We'll see you when you get back," Dave said. "Be careful."

"I will be," Emily said, as she headed for the door of the hotel suite.

Dave, JJ and Penelope watched her go.

"Should you have go by herself?" asked JJ in concern. "This isn't America."

"Emily will be just fine," Dave promised. "If she's not back in half an hour then maybe we have cause to be concerned, but she is the one that knows where it is, since she's already been there once."

"Every city has its own dangers," Penelope said, "but I do believe that Emily will be just fine. We go out by ourselves all the time back home and this is no different."

"Maybe not," JJ conceded. "I guess I'm worried for nothing, because Emily can take care of herself."

"And so can you and Penelope since you took those martial arts lessons," Dave said. "Some mugger isn't going to get the better of you unless they have a stunner."

"Yes, that's true," JJ said relaxing. All three of the women were experts in several martial arts disciplines and were black belts. They didn't advertise their skills, but they could defend themselves quite well unless the situation was rather unusual. Of course, being pregnant threw their balance off, especially by the last trimester, so when they were they had to be extra careful.

"I suggest we all go relax until Emily returns, as there no point of sitting here worrying about her when we all know Emily Prentiss can take care of herself," Dave said, as he ushered his other mates into the living area.

"You're right," JJ conceded pushing her worry for her sister to the back of her mind.

"Of course I am," Dave teased her gently. He knew JJ was still worried, even if there was no need to be, but then she worried because she cared and that was one of the many reasons he loved her so much.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Pregnant," Penelope said once she had used the pregnancy test and waited the required minute for it to give her an answer.

"Me too," JJ said holding up her pregnancy test so that Dave could see the little plus symbol on one end.

"Well, this is certainly exciting," Dave who was standing in the doorway decided grinning from ear to ear.

"This has never happened before," Emily who was standing beside Dave said. "None of us have gotten pregnant unless we wished to and there's no way that all three of us forgot to take our contraceptive pills. One of us might have forgotten to take them once or twice, as we discussed earlier, but not all three."

"I still think that it was all that beer we drank," Penelope said. "We did pee an awful lot that night."

"Yeah, we did," JJ remembered. "All that beer made us get up constantly in order for us to use the toilet."

"Do you suppose that you did take your contraceptives but maybe all that peeing canceled them out?" Dave asked.

"I'm not sure if that's possible or not," Penelope said thinking about it.

"On the other hand, it's the only event we can think of where we all had wild sex with Dave and at the time we were drunk as skunks," said JJ.

"Or Dave had wild sex with us," Emily grinned kissing Dave's cheek.

"Normally, we take turns when it comes to having sex with Dave, even if we all participate. Dave can only enter one of us at a time after all," Penelope said.

"But that night was wild and uninhibited and we seemed to have more energy than we normally do," Emily remembered.

"Dave in particular," JJ grinned at her mate.

"I was at least three sheets to the wind and felt like I could take on the world," Dave remembered. "The four of us had sex for most of the night, so it's very possible you all got pregnant then, but we'll have to see what the doctor says after we get home. If you all got pregnant at basically the same time then that's the night it happened."

"Well, it looks like we will be having four new children join the family," Penelope said not looking unhappy at the prospect.

"Four children who are going to be basically the same age," JJ reminded Penelope. "Just remember what a handful your twins always are when they're less than three years old and tell me why you're so happy at the prospect of having four to deal with."

"Well, for one thing I see this as a blessing," Penelope told JJ seriously. "Yes, we're going to have four tiny infants to deal with that are probably going to be around the same age, but what you're forgetting is we can have plenty of help with that task just as Dave mentioned not too long ago. Both Emily and Dave's parents would love to come and lend a helping hand and that doesn't even include their grandparents or their great-grandparents and we certainly have the room to have them stay with us instead of at a hotel. I think as soon as they hear of the pregnancies we'll have more help then we know what to do with. You know that they will be perfectly willing to move somewhere close by and help us raise the children, but we've never needed that kind of assistance before, since our children were so far apart. Sure, we've used their assistance occasionally, like right now, when we decided we needed a couple of months of vacation, one without our kids, but that doesn't happen very often and we only visit them a few times a year."

"That's true they would love to become more involved in our children's lives," Dave said. "You know they always jump at the chance to babysit them when we decide to go on vacation, which doesn't happen often."

"That's a good idea," JJ decided. "We'll have someone that can help with the children that lives close by that isn't going to disapprove of our relationship with the same man."

"Exactly," Dave said. "Where we don't have to worry about concealing our relationship from an au pair, even if that was possible, since they would probably be living with us."

"Or finding someone that wouldn't mind the fact that, three ladies are in a relationship with the same guy," Emily said.

"Which wouldn't be very easy," Penelope said. "People that believe in unusual things whether that is in the supernatural or just something like one man with three women, ones who know about each other and who live together aren't exactly very thick on the ground. Yes, there are people out there that do believe in experimenting with sex and who do experiment with threesomes or even foursomes for the fun of it, but it isn't serious and they do it just to say they did. Really, those that do so usually don't brag about it, because they're often looked down on, or at least considered strange or weird, because they're going outside what is considered the norm. Oh, they might tell their friends that they did just as it as an experiment or perhaps, for the adventure of it, a walk on the wild side, but they aren't going to brag about it to anybody, but those they're closest to."

"Of course, a man that has more than one girlfriend is often revered, but those girlfriends don't usually live together or even know about each other and the definitely doesn't take their relationship seriously, as relationships like that last a few weeks or few months at most," Emily said.

"While women who have more than one man are often looked down on," JJ added.

"Which is definitely not fair, but since there's nothing we can do about it..." Penelope's agreed, then paused and got back to the subject they had been talking about bare minutes ago. "Dave's idea about having his and Emily's parents come down and help out is a good one."

"Which is why it's good to have family that would be more than willing to do so," Dave said.

"Yeah, we are very fortunate that your parents and grandparents, not to mention Emily's are still around," JJ said

"If they do come to help out we'll have to get used to calling your dad, your brother and your mother, your sister-in-law when we're out in public, since they look the same age as all of us do."

"That's a good point," Dave said. "You're right, dad doesn't look like my father, because he looks about 30, just like I do. Still, it is something we can do, as us Immortals are used to playing roles."

"Well, I say we forget we're pregnant, except for the fact that we will be doing no more drinking and just enjoy ourselves," Emily said.

"Sounds like a plan," Penelope said smiling. "Of course, we still have to deal with morning sickness, although you're the only one that has a experienced it so far," Penelope told Emily.

"I'm sure we'll be experiencing it now that we actually know," JJ said.

"It doesn't matter we would have experienced it at some point anyway," Penelope said. "Probably within another few days or a week at most."

"That's probably true," JJ admitted. "I would've liked another few days with no throwing up though."

"Well, you haven't started to yet, so you might get your wish," Dave said. "Each pregnancy, even for the same woman is different as we all know."

"Yes, we're well aware of that fact," Emily said smiling. "It doesn't matter how these pregnancies happened we're still happy to be carrying your children."

"Yeah, we are," Penelope agreed.

"Definitely," JJ added smiling.

Dave simply grinned at them, as he was feeling so happy he could burst.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

Six weeks later

Chicago

"Well, we were right, we all got pregnant at the same time," Emily told Dave.

Emily, JJ and Penelope had gone to the same Immortal doctor that they had been using for centuries now, ever since Penelope had gotten pregnant with her second set of twins. They had realized too late that she might've needed a C-section as Immortals healed really fast, which a mortal doctor would have questioned, but luckily, she hadn't needed one that first time. After that though, when all four of them had realized that twins were often delivered by C-section Dave had found an Immortal doctor that was willing to come to whatever city they were living at the time. In order to get this boon Penelope had agreed to do a whole new background for her and her mate whenever necessary and totally delete the old one, just like she did for herself and her family. It helped that Graciela and Dave were old friends, which made her glad to help, even without the offer of changing her and her mate's background.

Still, having someone who could hack into the appropriate files and erase or change someones background information came in really useful sometimes.

Dr. Graciela DeWitt had come through for them yet again and she had been able to tell them that they had all gotten pregnant around the same time, within an hour of each other actually. She had also told them exactly how far along all of them were and it went back to that night that all four of them had drank to much in a classy club in Germany.

She had also told them that it was possible that peeing so much, so close together that whatever contraceptive they were taking would be at least partially nullified. She had suggested that they get an implant instead that only had to be renewed once a year and that way such an accident as had happened this time wouldn't happen next time.

"I knew it!" Dave said happily.

"Really, we all suspected the same thing," Penelope said. "We all knew deep down that it happened that night we went to that classy club where we went for the music and the dancing."

"Where we drank far to much," JJ said.

"And had wild sex for most of the night after," Emily added grinning. "That particular session was absolutely inspired I'll admit it."

"Yeah, it was," Penelope said dreamily. "The things you did to me, to all of us, that night," Penelope added looking at Dave grinning, her eyes still dreamy.

"I'll be happy to repeat it," Dave said smirking. "This time when I'm stone cold sober."

"Something to look forward to," JJ said smiling. "Still, we apparently got pregnant basically within a hour of each other so we'll probably be giving birth around the same time, except for Penny who will probably go into labor at least a few weeks early, since she is again carrying twins."

"Yeah, but you and Emily are only carrying singletons, so that means you can basically give birth by yourselves without much help or assistance," Dave said. "I can help one of you though, considering how many times I've been through it by now, while Graciela helps the other one. I can certainly help one of you give birth with the doctor's assistance of course. Still, I know the procedure."

"Well, we don't need to worry about it unless we go into labor at the same time, which we might not. One of us might be a little early or a little late," JJ said.

"It doesn't really matter," Penelope said. "I can also help one of you, since I'll likely have given birth and recovered by the time both of you go into labor."

"That's a good point," Dave said. "I'll contact mine and Emily's parents and ask them to make arrangements to move here for a few years anyway. "It'll take them awhile to find a suitable place to settle down for awhile, so it's better if we go ahead and do that."

"Yeah, that's true," Emily agreed.

"So I guess next month we'll be able to tell the sexes," Dave said.

"Yes, and we've already made an appointment," JJ said. "Just one this time, since we all fell pregnant at basically, the same time, so there was no point of doing three separate ones, since the doctor is Immortal after all, so we don't have to get appointments separately just to keep up the pretense that we aren't in a relationship with the same guy."

"It doesn't really matter what we have this time, since we already have two of each, but still, I'm curious to know," Penelope said.

"If we're lucky you are carrying an equal number of each just like last time," Dave said. "Of course, I realize it could be all girls or all boys."

"Or it could be three of one sex and just one of the other," Emily said.

"Yeah, that has happened a few times," Dave chuckled.

"Well, we'll know in a few weeks," Penelope said.

"I can hardly wait," Dave said rubbing his hands together in anticipation causing his three mates to grin at him.

~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~

"Well, it might have been an accident, but that doesn't mean we can't appreciate the results," Abe grinned.

Abraham Rossi was Dave's grandfather.

He, along with his wife Esther, had arrived several months ago to help with the preparation for the upcoming births and Elias and Junia, Dave's parents had already been here as they had been looking after the other kids, while Dave and his mates were on vacation. Emily's parents were also coming, but wouldn't arrive for a few weeks.

It had helped the situation immensely that both Esther and Junia were both qualified midwives and had even kept their licenses current, so that they were up on the advances in medical technology.

"Absolutely," Dave agreed grinning.

"Yes, you have been truly blessed, my son," Junia told her son.

"Believe me, I'm well aware of it," Dave told his mother unable to keep the grin off his face. "No, these children weren't planned, and except for that night when we overdid the drinking I doubt they would have been conceived, but no, I definitely don't regret it at all."

"Nor should you," Esther told her grandson smiling, as she held one of the children.

"We will never be doing that again though," Emily said making a face.

"Definitely not, as the hangover just wasn't worth it, even if the drinking was fun," JJ agreed.

"Don't make any promises you can't keep," Elias playfully chided Emily and JJ. "It might very well happen sometime in the future once the memories of those hangovers you endured aren't so sharp."

"Elias, does have a point," Penelope said holding the baby boy that had been born. The boy in Penelope's arms was JJ's son.

Of the four children born three were boys and there was only one girl that was Emily's and of course, they had all known for sometime what the sexes were, so had prepared. Dave had been disappointed not to get his wish of two boys and two girls, but that didn't mean that he didn't adore his sons.

"Well, this is certainly a treat for us, since we so rarely get to see grandchildren until they're older," Junia said.

"Which is why you jumped at the chance to to be here for the births," Emily said smiling.

"Well, we were already here anyway, since we were looking after your other four children, but yes, you know we were very excited," Elias said.

"Yes, Esther I were very excited to," Abe said. "It's been a long time since we've had any children to raise, because I had myself fixed a long time ago."

"I think we more than did our part fulfill the human need to reproduce and we had quite a few children before we decided not to have anymore," Esther said.

"That day will come for us to I'm sure," Dave said. "Especially since we can have them far more frequently than most other Immortals."

"But not now," JJ said.

"No, not now, because we have occasionally gone 20 or even 30 years without having any at all," Penelope said.

"And I'm sure you'll continue that pattern," Junia said.

"Oh, absolutely, for the next few centuries anyway," Dave said. "We usually only have four children at time since Penelope always has twins and really we weren't planning on having anymore right now, so these four were something of a surprise, a happy one to be sure, but still, a surprise."

"We'll just have to remember not to drink so much from now on that's all," JJ giggled.

"They were a surprise definitely, but not an unwelcome one," Elias said.

"Oh, no, they definitely aren't unwelcome," Penelope said. "Maybe someday I'll decide to have myself fixed so I can't have anymore but now is not that time."

"Of course, all three of us might decide not to have anymore children at the same time and have our tubes tied in order to prevent it," Emily added.

"If all four of us come to a decision not to have anymore ever then I'll be the one going through an operation, as that's simpler," Dave said. "It's not like I'll ever be having any children unless it's with the three of you and that way only one of us has to go through an operation."

"Yes, that is easier, but the likelihood of all four of us deciding at the same time that we don't want anymore kids is unlikely at least," JJ said.

"Well, you might reach that decision sometime in the future, but I hope it's not for a long time, because recently I also had an operation so there will be no more kids from your father and I," Junia told Dave and everyone else. "I think we more then did our part to increase the Immortal race considering how many we've had over the centuries."

"Well, if we do it's not like we're the only option for grandchildren," Dave told his mother. "I have plenty of brothers and sisters and a lot of them have found their mates, so you'll have plenty of grandchildren from them if we ever do make that decision."

"And those children will grow up and also have children of their own, so I don't think, you're in any danger of not getting a lot for grandchildren, great-grandchildren or great-great-grandchildren," Penelope added.

"Yes, that's true," Junia conceded. "But none of them though have been blessed by Ilithyia to have children every 5 or 10 years."

"While that's true, at least you would still be getting grandchildren to love, even if that was only one per couple every 70 or 75 years," Dave said.

"Well, I think we should go show the two newest members of the family to our other children," Penelope said.

Both Emily and JJ had gone into labor within hours of each other, but luckily, they had plenty of help and so the babies had been born in relatively short order and Emily and JJ were just fine, even if they were a little tired. Penelope for her part had gone into labor several weeks ago, so her twins were several weeks older and were already getting quite spoiled due to their grandparents and great-grandparents who absolutely adored them along with the older children.

"Penelope and I can do that while Jennifer and Emily stay here and rest as you did just give birth after all. Yes, I know you're used to it, but still, you need to sleep while you can," Dave urged them.

"Probably a good idea," Emily said with a yawn. Her labor hadn't been very long or intense, because she had given birth plenty of times before, but still, she was a little tired from the effort she admitted. Pushing the baby out had been the most difficult part and took quite a bit of energy, which was why she was tired and not so much from the labor pains.

"Yeah, it is," JJ said also yawning, suddenly feeling exhausted now that the adrenaline had worn off.

Everybody filed out without comment and Dave shut the door gently behind him.

"We'll just let them sleep for as long as they like," Abe told Dave who nodded appreciatively.

"Thanks, they need it," Dave told his grandfather.

"We know how giving birth exhausts you, after all, I've been through it plenty of times," said Esther.

"No, we certainly haven't forgotten the tiredness that comes with giving birth no matter how short it's duration," Junia agreed.

"Yeah, my labor was pretty long compared to JJ's and Emily's, but then it was twins, just like it always is. That I managed to avoid a C-section is pretty amazing considering that more than fifty percent of twins have to be delivered that way. The way the incision heals without even a scar once the operation is done and the clamps are removed is a bonus, so you can't even tell I ever had one," Penelope said. "Still, I was glad I didn't have to have one this time."

"Which is one of the great things about healing so fast," Elias said. "The only scars you should have are those that you got before you were turned Immortal."

"Yeah, at least I didn't have to take six weeks to recover from an operation like mortals do and that is something I really appreciate," Penelope said. "I'm not the type to do well, taking it easy for six weeks."

"No, all of us are just too active to enjoy not doing something we enjoy. We're not the type to watch a lot of screen, although we do use it sometimes of course, but still, none of us are couch potatoes. I might enjoy watching basketball, but I certainly don't sit there all day watching TV and vegetating. I'd rather go to the game then watch it on screen," Dave said.

"That's something I definitely agree with," Elias said smiling.

"We'll have to catch a game while you're here, likely more than one, because you'll be here for sometime," Dave said grinning at his father.

"Sounds good, I like spending time with my son and perhaps it's something the older children would also enjoy," Elias suggested.

"That's possible," Penelope said. "There's no harm in taking them to a game anyway. They might enjoy it and if they don't then maybe they're a bit too young or maybe they'll never develop that interest."

"Boys and their sports," Esther sighed, pretending to be upset, but really, she was very happy that her grandson and his father could spend some individual time together, because really, that didn't happen too often, as there was usually a lot of other family around, so there wasn't time to visit for more than a few minutes.

"Hey, we haven't been to the game together in a long time several decades at least," Elias protested laughingly.

"Well, I think it's time we introduce our new son and daughter to the older children, while the twins won't care one way or the other, because they are only weeks old," Penelope suggested smiling at the byplay.

"Good idea, sweetheart," Dave said kissing her cheek. "Let's go introduce these cuties to their siblings."

Everybody trooped upstairs to introduce the two newest additions to the family to the four older children who were being watched over by the nanny droid, as they hadn't needed the interruption several hours ago when both Emily and JJ had been in labor, as things had been very busy for awhile and everybody was helping out where they could.

Since the children had behaved so well they would be properly rewarded to reinforce that good behavior would get you a surprise while misbehaving would get you punished. The reward/punish method had certainly worked on all the other children and seemed to be working on the current four as well.

Finally Dave pushed open a door and everyone trooped inside.

"Kids, I'd like to introduce you to your two newest siblings," Dave began.

"So what are their names dad," asked his daughter Roberta.

"And what sex are they?" asked another this time a boy whose name was Jeremy.

"If you just be quiet and listen you'd soon learn what their names are and know what they're sex was," Penelope gently chided the two very outspoken children.

The children fell silent and Dave simply chuckled.

"Let me introduce you to Darwin Jason and Lydia Deborah Rossi," Dave said.

"Can I hold one?" Marilee asked.

"Of course, sweetie," Penelope said placing the little girl in her arms. "Be careful, make sure you support the head," Penelope instructed showing her daughter how to hold a baby properly.

While Penelope was busy the other's simply watched her instruct her daughter how to hold a baby and thought that this was what life was all about. The two little girls would take the lessons to heart, so that one day when they had their own children they would remember what Penelope had taught them and therefore make good mothers themselves.

Dave watched Penelope and his daughters take turns holding the babies and couldn't help grinning from ear to ear he was so incredibly happy, but then he had been so for centuries and just knew that he would be for centuries more because he now had all three of his mates and they'd had numerous children together. Having children always made him happy, because he truly loved them and he just knew he'd have plenty more before they all decided that they'd done their part when it came to procreating.

He also knew though that that was likely centuries away, so right now he was going to watch one of his mates as she taught her daughters how to hold an infant while thinking he had never seen anything more heartwarming, but was something he could definitely get used to.

So for now he simply watched and grinned feeling contentment spread over him rapidly as he watched his children gather around the new babies.

This was what life was all about being happy with those you loved.


End file.
